Secrets Behind the Carrot Top
by dancingonthewind
Summary: Hey. Sorry for the wait. Here's chap 19 & 20 for those of you that care.
1. Secret Whispers

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon but I thank Natsume for making this great game. :-1 Tickles the Harvest Sprite sitting next to me.

**Chapter 1 Strange whispers**

A few tears silently fell from her cheek as she stared at her mother's grave. No one had ever told her why or how she died. Even to this day. Sometimes, she wondered if they don't tell her on purpose…or maybe they had forgotten her mother completely.

Her name is Ann and she lives in the inn of Mineral Town. Her father is the inn keeper. His name is Doug. His wife died many years ago when Ann was too young to understand or remember. You may see her working happily at the inn. Cleaning the rooms and serving customers, but she lives a tortured and depressed life of misery and loneliness.

"Yes sir." Ann was forced to put on a fake smile as she served the old man. He wanted something but kept forgetting what it was. "What about a meal? How about a drink?" She kept suggesting things that he might want. "_What else would he need?_" He was only a sight seer, here to enjoy the weather of her home town.

"No, no…that can't be it. What do you think dear? Can you remember what I wanted?" The old man turned to his side and looked at the empty space on his left side. _"Is he talking to himself? No. He's imagining his wife standing beside him. Isn't he. Great. I have to serve the psycho old guy that can't remember anything."_

"Uh sir?" Ann quietly whispered to him. "There's no one there." She tried to be as kind and gentle as she could but this guy was driving her crazy!

"What?" He looked back at me with a questioning face. "Of course there is! My wife is standing right here!" The old man practically screamed at Ann. "_Yup. Psycho_." The old man looked back to his side and sighed. "Yes dear. We can go back home now. Out of this crazy city you say? Alright." He turned back and looked at Ann. "Never mind that dear. Me and my WIFE that is STANDING RIGHT HERE, will be leaving now. Back to where we came from." He spat out the words as he turned to leave.

"And where would that be?" Ann asked with a slight smirk. He turned back to her and walked back to the counter.

"Don't you worry your pretty little red head about it." The old man smiled once more, ruffled her hair then left in peace. Ann sighed in relief as he shut the door. She fixed her braided, tomato coloured hair then turned to see a boy standing in front of the counter. He had black hair and was quite short. He also had tiny black eyes and a cute naïve smile. Ann smiled as she recognized him.

"Hi Stu." Ann whispered to him as she bent down over the counter.

"Hi Ann!" He responded. He waved as he stood on his tip-toes. Stu was very young and enjoyed collecting bugs. He was quite cute.

"And what would you like Stu?" Ann asked.

"Just sayin' hi." He smiled and Ann giggled. "Uh…"

"Okay okay." She bent down and opened the cupboard, found the jar of cookies and brought one back up with her as she stood. "Here you go" She said and handed Stu the cookie. His tiny eyes suddenly grew huge as he looked longingly at his treat. "Now shoo! Before the old man sees us." Stu nodded his head and scurried out the door. "_Wow. Bounding around like that all the time and everyday. If only I had energy like that."_

As the Inn slowly emptied of it's customers Ann groggily searched for a cloth. She slowly started to clear the tables and wipe them clean. Her father finally decided to emerge from his little room behind the counter. Ann had never been in there. He never let her.

"Hello Ann. Thanks again for taking such good care of the Inn." Doug smiled happily as he started the climb the stairs to head into his room upstairs.

"Daddy…"Ann glared at him. "_How could he? How can he sleep at night? Knowing what he's doing to me. He won't even look at me straight anymore."_

"Yes darling?" He slowly turned to face Ann and his smile turned to a worried frown as he saw her angry face. "Uh…gulp…what is it?" He stammered. "_Hah. What is he afraid of?"_

"We…need…to….talk." Ann slowly walked over to him, still carrying the dirty cloth. "Why don't you ever help me anymore? I'm doing all the work, all the time now! All you do, all day is sit in that little room doing God knows what!"

"..Ann. Calm down." Doug tried to get me to stop being mad at him but he knew what he was doing wrong.

"Make me" Ann dared. He suddenly looked shocked and then his face turned grey and showed signed of anger.

"Fine. No going out of the inn for two days." He looked content and turned once more. "_As if. He had grounded me before. He never kept it up for long. Why, before he knew it, he would send me out on an errand."_

"Daddy. Why only two days?" Ann smiled menacingly. She wanted to see how far he would go. He slowly turned and his face was almost the same shade of red as Ann's hair. He stepped closer to her and raised his fist.

She woke up in her room that night. "_What time is it?_" She looked over to the window. "_It's dark. I can't see anything_." This was how her evenings and nights went. She would anger her father then, wake up in her room, hours later. Ann sighed and got up off of the floor, changed into her nightgown and jumped into her bed. She tossed and turned and fidgeted in her bed, she wasn't tired. Ann got up and went downstairs and heard whispering.

"….No….well of course Doug. I could….never…what?" The muffled whispers were coming from behind the counter in the locked room. Ann slowly tip-toed over to the door and pressed her ear against the cold wood.

"Well naturally. I could never ask you of that." Doug whispered. "_Who is he talking to?"_

"Well, we really must be going." A male voice stated.

"Yes..we should." A female voice replied. The sound of creaking chairs and wood indicated that they were standing up. Someone rattled the doorknob so Ann bolted back up the stairs as fast but as quietly as she could. Ann leaped into her bed and quickly covered her shaking body with the quilt.

Ann tried to slow her beating heart's pace as she listened carefully for the sound of the Inn front door closing. _"Ah, there it is_". Now she could relax as soon as she heard her father's footsteps on the stairs. _"Ah, I can't wait that long."_ Soon enough, her senses faltered and she fell into a well needed, almost peaceful sleep.

Please don't laugh or make fun. This is my first fanfic and I have no idea what I'm doing. Anyways, please review. I would love to here what you think of my story. Oh and please, if you have any great ideas for the next chapter, share them with me! I have no clue where this story is headed. I will try to update soon. Thanks.

:-1


	2. Reviewing the Sorrow

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon but I thank Natsume for making this great game. :-1 Tickles the Harvest Sprite sitting next to me.

**Chapter 2 Reviewing the Sorrow**

Ann woke up in her bed. "_So, he's bringing strangers into the Inn at night when I'm asleep or unconscious, and pretending that nothing is wrong?"_ She silently got out of the bed and walked over to her chest of drawers. She picked out some jeans and a pink, koala shirt. She got changed and re-braided her hair with a pink ribbon, to match her

shirt. She made her bed then got the broom to start sweeping.

Doug silently got out of his room on the second floor. He really did hate lying and hiding things from Ann…but this was his own business. She should mind her own head. He crept down the stairs and creaked on only a few floor boards. He walked over to the door behind the counter and opened it. He peered in to make sure the cost was clear. He had to be extra careful because ever since he took up his new uh… hobby, he had to be quite sure who was where and when at the inn. Doug stepped inside the room to gaze upon his possessions.

Ann had finished sweeping all of the rooms. The other inhabitants of the hotel had left for the day. She went outside and picked out three flowers from the many that grew in front of the Inn. She went back inside and climbed back up the stairs to set a flower in each vase in each room. She made the other beds in the other rooms and tidied up. Satisfied with her work, she retired to her own room.

She climbed onto her bed and glanced at the door quickly to be sure that it was locked. She turned to her pillow, opened the pillow-case that surrounded it, and pulled out a worn in book and some pens. Ann smacked herself on her forehead as she hopped up and closed her curtains. She also went to her dresser to grab the tissue. This had become a ritual for her. Every morning, before the Inn opened to the public. She opened the book, wrote in the date on a blank page and decided to read her former entries.

_**Fall, day 12.**_

**_I can't stand it anymore. For almost a whole week now, daddy has been locking himself in his room in the morning while I'm still cleaning, then not coming out until he goes to bed. I can't take it. He leaves all the work to me. What have I done wrong? What am I doing wrong? This is the first entry in my diary. And to top it all off…Popuri, Cliff, Karen and the doctor all got drunk at the Inn last night. Number one, they didn't invite me (not that I would want to get drunk anyways but still) and number two, I caught Cliff making out with Popuri! Popuri was my best friend. How could they do this to me? What have I done wrong Cliff? If you would've only told me… I could've fixed it. Oh well... I suppose it's too late for that now. Obviously, it's my fault... I will write about my pain in this book, also who hurt me. This is the only way I can deal wit it._**

_**Fall, day 25.**_

**_I thought things were going fine, until today I suppose. Cliff and Popuri have been purposely staying out of my way. Today though, Cliff broke my heart. It's obviously my fault. He was sitting with Popuri at the farthest table from where I was standing behind the counter. They apparently needed to talk privately. As if I couldn't see them. Things were okay until Popuri's face neared closer to Cliff and…and they…they kissed! Cliff…he didn't pull away or anything! He didn't resist. I thought me and Cliff were together… not Cliff and that pink-haired puff ball Popuri! I watched them. It seemed like forever and I started to wonder when they would take a breath again (though I secretly hoped that they would both suffocate). They finally broke and Cliff gazed into her eyes. She did the same. They left that day, holding hands. I hope my tear stains do not make too much damage on my diary._**

_**Winter, day 1.**_

**_Now today…I can't stand to think about it. I was going for a walk on Sunday. A day when father came out for a few minutes to give me some time to do whatever I wanted to. This day I decided to go for a walk. I ran into the mayor, Thomas. We chatted like things were all fine and dandy on my part. Then he asked me about my mother. Do you know anything about her? He asked. No I replied. Oh well… We sat in silence for a few minutes. I couldn't stand it. Why? I asked. Do you know something? Thomas stared at me, long and hard. Well, I am terribly sorry, but I really must be going. Then he just walked off. I don't understand. Why wouldn't he tell me? What did I do wrong? No one ever tells me about my mother. So I no longer care about her. She's the one that left me. Mom…_**

_**Winter, day 5.**_

**_Today, father came out of his room angry and flustered. He wouldn't tell me why when I asked. He stayed in his bedroom until the Inn closed. Then he came out and yelled at me. He swore and cursed at me. He started throwing glasses at me. Glass glasses. They hurt when they shattered against my frail body. I can't wear my overalls and orange shirt anymore, because they are stained with blood and tears. He then walked over to me, as I fell to the floor in pain and fright. He smirked at me and kicked me. I felt no pain but saw stars instead. I woke on that same floor and crawled up to my room. Here I am now, all battered and broken. I will finish writing for tonight, then crawl out of the Inn and position myself under the Mother's Hill cliff. This will make it seem that I slipped off and hurt myself, instead of my father's anger being the cause. Someone is bound to find me lying there. _**

**_Winter, Day 8._**

**_It was three days before they let me out of the dank hospital room... Okay not exactly let me out. Karen had been exploring the forest when she came across my broken, bloody body. She assumed just what I wanted her to, and took me to the clinic. I woke on the second day, and felt immense amounts of pain. I lied and said I was fine but they had discovered broken bones. They told me to take it easy and rest. I was restless. Who would look after the Inn? Turns out no-one did. I snuck out the third day, limping because my ankle was broken. I made it to the Inn so here I am. I have to write quickly today because I hear my father's harsh footsteps, climbing up the wood stairs. _**

**_Winter, Day 9._**

**_I get hurt, more and more frequently now. Why is this happening to me oh Goddess. Why do you punish me? What have I done? My father stormed into my room yesterday, yelled, threw things and asked why I wasn't at the Inn for the past few days. I told him that I had fallen off of Mother's Hill. He wasn't satisfied. He yelled some more then threw my mother's flower vase out the second story window. I cried. I couldn't help it._**

Ann closed the book and sniffled. She couldn't bear to read anymore. Her father, Doug. Some days he was okay, and then others he was... not okay. Other days, Ann would try and defend for herself head over to the phone to phone Harris for help. Of course, Doug would block her way to the phone and hit her until she gave up. He often told her to calm down and think about what he could do to her if he was angry enough.

Ann looked out at the still broken window as she remembered all these horrible memories. She turned her attention away from her window and picked up her pen and book. She wrote about her evening last night and how it hurt her that her father was keeping secrets from her. She silently set her pen and book down when she was done writing someone knocked at her door…

I know. Cliffhanger. At least it will keep you faithful listeners reading. Which is good:D


	3. Cliff and Popuri

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon but I thank Natsume for making this great game. :-1 Tickles the Harvest Sprite sitting next to me.

Ann quickly put away her things, back into her pillow case and dragged herself to the door. _What now? _She opened the door to see Cliff standing before her.

Cliff's side of the story.

Cliff had been invited to a party at the Inn. Ann was there so he was looking forward to it. Cliff and Ann both knew that they liked each other but they didn't really do anything about it. Turns out as soon as Cliff got to the party, he realized that Ann hadn't been invited. Only Karen, Doctor, Popuri and him were there.

"Where's Ann?" Cliff quietly mumbled to Popuri. Popuri just stared at him looking very shocked. She turned away and sat at the nearest table. _Okay then._ Cliff sat next to Popruri and Doctor sat on the other side of the table. Karen was at the counter. She saw a note that said they should grab their own drinks. Karen grabbed four beer mugs and filled them up with wine. She then took them to the table her friends were sitting at. Cliff stared wide-eyed at the mugs then took one of his own as the others did the same. Those three started chugging their drinks then Popuri stopped and it turned out to be a chugging contest between Karen and the Doctor.

"Chug chug chug!" Poprui chanted. Cliff smiled and banged his fist on the table as Karen finished her beer.

"Winner!" Cliff yelled and raised Karen's arms in the air.

"Bette'h believe it!" Karen stated as she wearily stood and got some more wine. Cliff smiled and totally forgot about Ann. He started to casually drink his wine. Eventually, one glass grew to two glasses, and two glasses to six glasses. Everyone was stumbling around when Cliff realized that he missed Ann. He clumsily walked over to where Popuri was sitting, talking to Doctor about him and Elli.

"Popurm…"Cliff mumbled. He tapped her on the shoulder and she turned to look at him.

"Yes?" She chimed.

"Uhm…wheresnnmm Annmm?" He asked as he grabbed the table for support. Popuri grabbed Cliff's shirt collar as she stood and looked into his eyes. She pushed him over to the wall then released his collar. She gazed at him and drew circles on his chest with her finger.

"Why do you care about Ann?" She asked in her sweet, innocent voice. "It's not like you have any feelings for her" Cliff opened his mouth to say something but Popuri shushed him by putting her finger on his lips. She shook her head and said in a disappointed tone, "She's not worth your time Cliffie. She doesn't like you like you think she does. Your just some guy to her". She moved her finger from his lips and pushed him against the wall. She leaned over to his ear and quietly whispered "But I am and I DO feel that way" And with that Popuri kissed Cliff's neck until she reached his mouth. Cliff just stood there, taking it all in. Was Popuri right? Did Ann have feelings for him? Or was it just his imagination. He shrugged away this thought and focused on Popuri. She WAS prettier. Practically better in every way imaginable. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she stuck her hands in his hair. Cliff started to reply to Popuri's kisses with his own and the rest of the night went on like that.

Popuri and Cliff started dating. They spent all their time together. One day, Cliff invited her to the Inn for their week and a half anniversary. Where they both realized that they had feelings for each other. They walked in and realized Ann standing at the counter. They quickly went to the far table to the left and sat down next to each other. They talked for a long while.

Popuri noticed that Ann was watching them. She knew that Ann liked him but she wouldn't let her Cliffie know that. She wanted to show Ann who she was dealing against so she would prove that Cliff was hers. Popuri leaned in closer to Cliff while he was in mid-sentence and kissed him on the lips passionately. Cliff returned the kiss sweetly and they walked out of the Inn, holding hands. Just before they closed the door, they heard Ann sobbing and storming up the stairs to her room.

Things went well for many, many weeks between Popuri and Cliff. Then one day a problem arose.

"Cliffie" Popuri called. She was sitting on the bench on the beach. Cliff was skipping flat stones across the water.

"Yes Poppie?" He answered.

"Come here." "Sure thing." Cliff walked away from the shore and approached his girlfriend. Popuri looked at the ground and grabbed his hands. She looked up into his eyes. "Ann thinks you still like her, doesn't she." Popuri asked.

"I..well..I don't know." Cliff shrugged his shoulders. "Why does it matter? I don't like her like I used to" Cliff stumbled with his words. _What is she getting at?_

"Well…She thinks you still do. You need to tell her that you don't." It was spring and Ann hadn't come out of the Inn for seasons. "Please?" Popuri looked pleadingly at her boyfriend. "For me?"

"Allright." Cliff answered. "I'll go tell her tomorrow morning." Popuri smiled and pulled Cliff down so he sat next to her. She leaned into his face and kissed him. He kissed her back. "Thanks" She whispered into his ear.

The next morning Cliff woke up in the Inn. He would go out until Ann finished her cleaning. He did so and found that Ann was still in her room. He walked over to her door and knocked loudly on the maple wood. He heard some rustling of papers and pillows then the door slowly opened.

"Doug!" A male voice screamed from within the room behind the counter one the first floor.

"What?" Doug shouted in reply.

"We need our exchange." The female voice calmly stated. "And your overdue."

"Ah! I know I know! You don't have to keep reminding me. You think I can't take care of myself? You think I don't know what I say?" Doug pounded his fist on a desk as he said these harsh words. Someone creaked on the floor upstairs and he suddenly looked worried instead of his angry self. "Shh" He warned the others sitting in his dark dank room. "My daughter is…well."

"Take care of your daughter! She is just a problem around here for you now" The female voice advised. "That's why my and MY husband won't have any children. They only cause trouble."

"But if she does get pregnant" The male voice grew fainter "We won't let our child hang around…"

Oh. I'm so evil. :P Please reply. I won't update until I get at least 10 replies. Thank you.


	4. Revealing Feelings

I don't wanna' jabber about how I don't own Harvest Moon so I'll just jump right into the story.

"Cliff?" Ann exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" Ann peered out the door to see if anyone else was behind him then grabbed his arm and yanked him into her room. "What do you want?" She whispered harshly.

"Well uh you see…" Cliff rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well...how do I say this?" He looked pathetic to Ann, trying to tell her something he didn't feel comfortable with.

"Could we please hurry this up?" Ann asked getting annoyed. "I have to get down and serve the customers." She rolled her eyes.

"Well okay…" Cliff started. "I don't have feelings for you anymore and I'm with Popruri and I know that you never had feelings for me so... a hard feelings okay?" He quickly spurted out. Ann stood there wide-eyed. Why was she so shocked? She knew this was eventually going to happen. She knew it had already happened. Yet, she was still in shock. She shook herself back to reality and stared into his eyes.

She choked on her words. "Well uh. I gotta' get back so bye." She pushed past Cliff and went downstairs.

Cliff stayed there standing in her room. He sighed, shrugged his shoulders and left the Inn.

Back downstairs, Ann had to face many angry customers that had been waiting for her to come and serve them. There was a long line in front of the counter and she slowly trudged to meet their demands.

"A bagel." "Some wine" "More fries" "Clean dishes" All the customers spoke at once and eventually Ann had given them all what they wanted. She sighed as she poured herself a tiny glass of wine. She wasn't much of a drinker but she did have small amounts every now and then when things got tough.

After a hard day of tending to customers, Ann decided to go for a walk. She needed Stu. She quickly cleared the tables, locked the door and rushed outside into the warm spring air. She briskly walked to Ellen's house and knocked on the door.

"Come in" A cheerful elderly women stated. Ann stepped inside and saw Stu and Ellen reading a book about colors.

"Ann!" Stu cried as he ran to her and hugged her waist.

"Hey Stu." Ann replied in greeting as she ruffled his black hair. "Wanna' go for a walk?"

"Do I!" He broke away from his tiny hug and turned to his grandmother. "Can I go? Please?" He pleaded.

"I'm terribly sorry I came to late Ellen, but there really was no other time…" Ann got quieter as she finished her sentence.

"Of course you can go Stu. Be back soon." Ellen waved at the two as they walked out the door.

"So what's up Ann?" Stu asked as he walked faster than his regular pace in order to keep up with Ann's larger strides.

"Well…let's go to the beach." Ann smiled as Stu ran ahead.

"Ugh. Where's Ann!" Doug screamed as he searched the Inn. "I need to blow off some steam." He treated Ann like a punching bag. His stress relief. Sure, he knew it wasn't right, but Ann should tell someone if she didn't like it…right? "Ugh! ANN WHERE ARE YOU!" Doug yelled into the nothingness of her room. Things hadn't gone well today. "Fine" Doug sighed. "I'll just hit the sack early tonight." He turned away from her door and headed over to his own. He opened it , slowly turning the rusty brass knob. He stepped onto the carpeted floor and closed the door behind him.

"Hey Doug." A voice called from the shadows.

"What?" Doug stood in front of the door, puzzled. "Who's there?" He slowly brought his arm up and strongly gripped his gun.

"Don't you know?" An innocent voice questioned.

"Show yourself!" Doug raised his voice as he pulled his gun out of it's holster. He looked around the room and noticed a slim, female figure, slowly walking towards him. "Wait…Anna?" and sure enough, Anna emerged from the shadows to reveal herself. "What…what are you doing here?" Doug stuttered as he pointed his gun at her body.

"Don't you remember a few nights ago?" She sweetly asked, not noticing the gun. She turned her eyes from the mirror on his dresser to him and noticed his gun. "Ack!" She exclaimed. Doug put his gun away.

"What about a couple nights ago?" Doug questioned. _What is she talking about?_

"Well… You. And me. Oh no." Anna suddenly looked disappointed and turned her eyes away from him. "Don't tell me…" She looked up at him again. "You were probably drunk and don't remember…"

"Why? What happened?" Doug was still confused. Anna just stared deep into his eyes. "Wait..you mean…but what about Basil?" Doug finally realized what she was getting at. "I mean..your married."

"Basil.." Anna made an angry scowl at an imaginary figure, standing beside her. "He's off, looking for some flower." Her face softened and she turned back to look at Doug. "He didn't even tell me he was going. All he did was leave a note." Anna looked to the floor.

"Oh Anna…" Doug tried his best to be comforting, but he needed practice. "I uh…I'm sorry." Anna suddenly stepped up to him and hugged him. Doug's arms wrapped around her thin body and they stood there hugging for a long time. Anna started to cry and shake.

"I don't know what I've done." She sobbed. "Why do I make mistakes like this?" She pushed her face into his shoulder. Doug sighed. He had forgotten what it was to have a wife. He missed that feeling.

"Well maybe…" He began. He tried to find the right words. "Maybe you should tell him what you've done wrong. Just to get it off your chest you know?" Anna just sniffled. "I will apologize to him also. And then you can tell him how you feel about your marriage and that it needs to be improved." Anna broke away from Doug and rubbed her eyes.

"Sniffle.. Thanks Doug." She wrapped her arms around her waist and slowly walked out the door that Doug was holding open for her. Doug smiled. _What? No. Bad Doug. You do not love a married woman. You were only helping a friend_. He closed the door, dismissed his confusing thoughts and went to bed.

Cliff walked into the clubhouse that he had built with Popuri. It was on the old abandoned farm.

"Pop?" He called out.

"Hey Cliffie." Popuri was sitting with her dress sprawled out around her, in the farthest corner of the clubhouse.

"I uh… I told her." Cliff reported. Popuri smiled and brought him closer to her. He sat down next to her as she snuggled close. She closed her eyes and started to breath heavier. Cliff smiled and stroked her hair. He was with the right girl. Wasn't he?

Thank you. Please review or I won't post again. :P


	5. Beatings, Words and Flowers

Blah blah blah blah blah and you know the rest. 

Ann and Stu stayed on the beach for a very long time. Ann told Stu all her problems. He didn't give advice, he just listened, which helped Ann more than he could ever know.

"Hey Ann…" Stu got her attention. She was staring at the sky. She had told him about her feelings for Cliff and how he had broken her heart. She had become numb, without pain or feeling. She didn't like it but she didn't know how to go back to the way she was. Ann looked at him again. They were sitting on the bench. "Uh." Stu started to say. "Why do you call your dad an old man?" He looked up at her with questioning eyes.

"Well…Because he's old and he's a man silly." Ann smiled and picked up a stick. "Remember when we started hanging out?"

"Yah." Stu sighed. "After May's mom came to take her back to the big city… after poor Barley died." Stu looked at his shoes. "I miss her."

"I know you do." Ann sympathetically smiled at Stu and he weakly smiled back. She drew four lines in the sand with the stick and drew an "x" in the upper right-hand box the lines made. "But I'm glad you understand that she had to go."

"Mm-hmm." Stu sighed and picked up his own stick. "Thanks for the cookie the other day. I'm glad no one caught us." Stu smiled as he drew his own "o" in the box right in the middle of the nine squares in the sand.

"Well it's our ritual!" Ann drew an "x" in on the left side of Stu's "o". "Every Monday. You come in to see me and I give you a cookie." Ann turned to look at Stu. He was puzzled my Ann's move in their game of "x's" and "o's". He smiled and put another "o" over top of Ann's last "x".

"Yup." He smiled, proud of his cleverness.

"Wow!" Ann exclaimed. "Your getting good at this game!"

"Only because you said you would never go easy on me!" Stu replied. "It helps."

"I can see that." Ann said as she sketched a sloppy "x" over top of Stu's "o" in the middle of the boxes. Stu smiled as he placed his final "o" in the bottom right corner.

"Tic-tac-toe! THREE IN A ROW!" Stu screamed in victory. Ann smiled. Stu was so cute. He took her thoughts away from her real life and occupied her. Sure, she had let him win this time. He didn't know.

"Good job." Ann congratulated Stu and raised his hand in the air. "Champion!" She yelled into the ocean and Stu jumped up and down. He giggled. "But now." Ann lowered his arms again. "It's time for you." She poked Stu in the stomach. "To go home and sleep." Stu yawned.

"I'm not tired yet though!" He pouted and crossed his arms.

"I know. But your grandma was expecting you back hours ago!" Ann exclaimed, just realizing the time. She quickly and gently scooped Stu up into her arms and sprinted to his house.

Cilff stared at his beautiful girlfriend, caught in a trance. She was sleeping peacefully, propped up against his shoulder. Cliff gently stroked her cheek and reached for his pocket. Earlier that day, before he had told Ann his news about him and Popuri, he had picked two flowers from Mother's Hill. Two totally different flowers. One was a beautiful, pink flower that had huge, soft petals. The other was brown and scruffy and was short and prickly and yet it had a tinge of orange at the tips. It was dead when he picked it up. One was the most beautiful flower he had seen, then the other was dead and scratchy, yet he picked both of them.

_How lame am I? I'm comparing girls to flowers._ Cliff shrugged his shoulders. Ann sure did seem dead, he never saw her anymore and he had to let go. He had someone else who actually had the guts to show her feelings. Ann seemed depressed all the time, according to the other villagers. He shrugged the thought away, noticing that Popuri was waking up.

"What do you have Cliffie?" Popuri groggily asked.

"Oh uh…" Cliff grabbed the flowers in a rush, accidentally crushing the fragile, dead one but saving the big, beautiful pink one. "Just a flower for you." He said, brushing away the remains of the dead flower and showing Popuri the pink one.

"OH! It's so beautiful." Poprui exclaimed. Cliff smiled sweetly and broke off the stem. He put his girlfriend's hair behind her ear and gently placed the flower behind her ear.

"Yes, you are beautiful." He smiled, knowing the line was lame and often used by many couples. Popuri blushed and admired the pretty flower in her hair. She snuggled back up to Cliff and fell back asleep. Cliff sighed and picked up the ash that was left of the other flower. He put them into his hand and inched over to the window that he made in the clubhouse.

"Bye Ann…" He whispered into the night. He lightly blew on the ash and it floated out of the clubhouse, out of his sight. Out of his life.

Ann reached Ellen's house and gently opened the door without making a sound. She found Ellen asleep in her rocking chair and realized that Stu had fallen asleep in her arms. She stepped into the house and closed the door quietly behind her. She went over to Stu's bed and lifted up the covers. She set Stu underneath the quilt and wrapped it tightly around him. She smiled at him as she stood up. He suddenly stirred and opened his eyes.

"Ann?" Stu whispered.

"Yes Stu?" Ann replied as she knelt down next to his bed.

"You'd make a great mom." Stu smiled and rolled over. Ann soon heard soft snoring coming from his tiny body. She got up and left the house.

She walked to the Inn slowly thinking about what Stu had said. Would she really be a good mother? How would she know? She doubted that she would live long enough to meet the right guy, get married to him and have a child. She didn't have hopes or dreams anymore, but maybe Stu had opened up a place in her heart, saved just for … Well… what was it being saved for? Ann wondered this as the walked into the Inn.

"Ann." A voice called to her from within the Inn.

"Hello?" Ann responded, wondering who was calling her. "Daddy?" She added, quivering.

"Where were you?" The voice asked.

"I uh…went for a quick walk." Ann answered truthfully, slowly inching toward the counter.

"I don't believe you child." The voice responded. Whoever the voice belonged to had lost sight of Ann's body. "Where'd you go?"

"What? I'm right here!" Ann yelled. She had grabbed an empty glass wine bottle and figured out where her father was standing. He was in front of the telephone, as Ann figured. She leaped over to him and smashed the bottle on his head. Or so she thought. Before Ann knew it, Doug had grabbed her arm and twisted her so she ended up on the floor with her arm in a difficult position. "Augh!" Ann screamed in frustration as she tried to stand but got pushed back down by her father's foot. She rolled her eyes, grabbed his leg and turned it. She hoped to flip him over and she was successful. She jumped up, Jackie Chan style and immediately jumped onto his back.

"Oof." He grunted. "Where did you learn those moves?" Ann smirked and planted her foot on his head. She shoved his face into the hard wood floor.

"I've been taking women's self defence classes, tai kwon doe and karate. Sorta'…" Ann replied, trailing off in thought. Gray had been teaching her how fight and she had gotten pretty good. "Anyways. What do you want dad?"

"Ugh. Get off of me!" Doug screamed as he rolled over, hoping to grab hold of Ann's foot before she jumped up. He was too late. Ann had jumped as soon as he spoke. Unfortunately, she landed on his hands and he grabbed her feet. She struggled to get free of his strong grasp but soon fell onto her back. She glanced at the phone. She rolled onto her stomach and reached for it, but Doug immediately pulled her back. She turned again and punched him square in the face. Doug seemed like a robot, not stopping, even thought he was injured.

"Eek!" Ann squealed as Doug grabbed her waist and hoisted her onto his shoulder, treating her like a sack of potatoes. Ann bit, kicked and punched but Doug was not going to let her go. "Daddy!" Ann pleaded.

"Hah." Doug snuffed. "You lie to me, you pay the price."

"I wasn't lying!" Ann begged for her father's trust. "What have I done wrong?" Doug stalled and shook his head.

"Everything…" He grunted as he walked up the stairs, with Ann on his shoulder, into the blackness of the Inn.


	6. Physical and Emotional Pain

Doug carried his daughter's weary body on his shoulder, treating her like dirty laundry.

"Kelam was right." Doug grunted. His face was full of determination and anger. He was walking up the firm stairs of the dark, empty Inn.

"What? Who's Kelam?" Ann whimpered.

"My associate. He helps me with my business." Doug sighed and spilled everything. All the info on his "new" life. Well, not everything. No use in not telling her some though, she would be dead soon. "He and his wife won't have children. Too much pain, they said. Children are just a waste of time." Ann was shocked. Now she had proof that her own father hated her. "They're always telling me to take care of you. And not the way that your thinking. They mean, permanently take care of you. To kill you or dump you in another city with another family. Your just a waste of time. Your worthless." Doug spoke curses into Ann's life and she knew it was over. She quietly sobbed, shaking with fright.

"Daddy…." Ann's voice was crackly and quiet. She didn't know what to say or do. "Please." She begged quietly, knowing her father wouldn't listen to her. Her hope was shattered, her spirit crushed, her heart torn into pieces. She was worthless. No one had ever loved her. She was just a waste of time, and she deserved to die. Ann closed her eyes and silently gave up. She let her father win.

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A fit, young, male body stepped onto the docks, waved the boat away and picked up his backpack. He slung the worn in bag onto his shoulders and looked at his surroundings. A beach. He breathed in the fresh, spring air and stepped onto the warm sand. He took his shoes off and carried them. There was no sand where he used to live. He loved the feeling of sand. He sighed once he reached the cement of the town square. He stepped back into his old, brown sneakers and ran to a bench. He remembered this bench.

He sat down and looked for his initials that he had carved into it when he was only four years old. That was thirteen years ago. He sighed as he found his carving. J.P. _Jack Polden._ He smiled, remembering his elderly friend that helped him carve the letters into the hard wood. He lightly touched the symbols and stood. He ran to the north exit of the square, walked a few steps and saw the most incredibly cruel thing ever.

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"Daddy, please no!" Ann cried, choking on her sobs.

"Ann, please yes!" Doug mocked his daughter as he held her diary just out of her reach. He had found it in her pillow case. She had collapsed on the floor when he dropped her there and now She couldn't get back up.

"Daddy! No! Please! It's the only thing that I own! The only thing that means something to me! Please no…" Ann's whole body shook.

"Well then, I suppose you don't own or care about anything anymore." Doug said as he opened up the book. "I just can't stand it anymore!" Doug said in a girly tone as he read little bits of the scrawled messages in the book. Ann glared at him. "It's all my fault! Blah blah blah. Your right it is all your fault! Your mother's death, your misery and all your pain!" He yelled and tore the pages out, one by one and let them fall to the floor. Ann wearily picked them up and held them close to her body. She closed her eyes, letting tears quickly slide down her cheeks.

Doug kicked her and she fell onto her side. Unconscious. She let go of the pages as she fell and Doug scrambled around to collect them. He walked over to the window, glaring at Ann, he held the pages in one hand and extended it out of the window. He accidentally cut his hand on the broken glass and dropped the papers. He shrugged off the pain and watched the papers float down to the ground. The wind blew them all over the ground and he turned back to look at Ann. She still hadn't moved. She was all bloody and stained. Oh well, her pain would soon all be over. He walked over to her dresser, grabbed some cloth and tape, and then bandaged his wounded hand.

Ann stirred and murmured. She slowly and painfully opened her eyes to see her father, wrapping his hand in bandages. She also noticed that the pages of her diary were gone. How long had she been out of it?

"Where are my pages?" Ann whispered because that was all she could manage.

"Oh...your awake again are you?" Doug mocked. "Take a look." Doug said motioning to the window with is head, still busy with his hand. Ann tried to stand but a sharp pain surged through her leg. It prevented her from getting up go she slowly dragged herself over to the window with her arms. She raised herself a bit, using every little bit of strength that she had. Ann peered through the broken glass, withstanding the pain, to see many pieces of brown worn in paper, fluttering across the dirt street.

"No.." Ann gasped. She fell back down and hung her head. "No…" She whispered, quieter this time.

Doug had snuck up behind her and now he grabbed her waist. "Agh!" Ann cursed as he inflicted more pain on her battered body. Doug smirked and then looked menacingly out the window. He lifted her off of the floor and flung her body out of the window, not caring if her limbs caught on the glass. He held onto her sprawling body as she squirmed in the air. There was a lot of blood, staining the windows.

"Don't you **want** to die Ann?" Doug stared at his hurt daughter. "Don't you **want** all the pain to end? Aren't you tired of feeling unloved?" Doug was playing mind games with his daughter, making things easier for himself. Her cheeks were covered in dirt, salty tears and blood. "Don't you want it to end?"

"Yes…" Ann solemnly answered as she nodded her head and stopped squirming. "Yes." She repeated, slowly lifting her head to look her father in the eyes for the last time…

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Sorry this chapter was so short, but I wanted to take some time and describe the pain and details. I wanted to give the story that extra edge. I hope I succeeded. Thanks. :-)


	7. Hurts To Remember

Jack saw many brown pages floating around this street being carried by the wind. _What is this stuff?_ He picked one up and read some of the writing that was scrawled onto it.

_**Fall, day 12.**_

**_I can't stand it anymore. For almost a whole week now, daddy has been locking himself in his room in the morning while I'm still cleaning, then not coming out until he goes to bed. I can't take it. He leaves all the work to me. What have I done wrong? What am I doing wrong?_**

He looked around and picked up another sheet. He read a bit more.

_**Fall, day 25.**_

**_I thought things were going fine, until today I suppose. Cliff and Popuri have been purposely staying out of my way. Today though, Cliff broke my heart. It's obviously my fault. He was sitting with Popuri at the farthest table from where I was standing behind the counter. They apparently needed to talk privately. As if I couldn't see them. Things were okay until Popuri's face neared closer to Cliff and…and they… they kissed! Cliff…he didn't pull away or anything! He didn't resist. I thought me and Cliff were together… not Cliff and that pink-haired puff ball Popuri! I watched them. It seemed like forever and I started to wonder when they would take a breath again (though I secretly hoped that they would both suffocate)._**

****He gasped at what he was reading, realizing that this was the diary of a teenage girl in pain. He grabbed another page and read the most shocking entries.

**_Winter, day 5._**

**_Today, father came out of his room angry and flustered. He wouldn't tell me why when I asked. He stayed in his bedroom until the Inn closed. Then he came out and yelled at me. He swore and cursed at me. He started throwing glasses at me. Glasses made of glass. They hurt when they shattered against my frail body. _**

He skipped ahead to another one on the back with his mouth hanging open.

_**Winter, day 1.**_

**_He asked me about my mother. Do you know anything about her? He asked. No I replied. Oh well… We sat in silence for a few minutes. I couldn't stand it. Why? I asked. Do you know something? Thomas stared at me, long and hard. Well, I am terribly sorry, but I really must be going. Then he just walked off. I don't understand. Why wouldn't he tell me? What did I do wrong? No one ever tells me about my mother. So I no longer care about her. She's the one that left me. Mom…_**

So, this girl's mother died and she didn't know why or how or when, her heart was being broken by a boy that she loved, and her father abused her. He looked up from the pages that he was holding to see a young girl levitating just outside the window of the old Inn. No, she wasn't levitating he noticed as he slowly walked forward. Two bloody arms were holding her up. The girl had orange hair and she was crying. She was also bloody and bruised. _What it happening?_

Jack heard a male voice screaming from inside the Inn and the girl nodded her head. _What's happening!_ Jack started to freak out, wondering what was happening at this time of night. He walked faster, over to where the girl was hanging. She looked hurt. He watched the scene inventively, not knowing what else to do. Suddenly, the girl was falling from the window on the second story.

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Doug smiled evilly at his daughter then let her drop from the second story, not caring if she landed in the gardening tools or maybe the flower pots. As soon as he let go he brought his arms inside of the window and turned away. He walked to his room. Not caring if he heard screaming. It would be over in a matter of seconds

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What else could she do? Ann was being held up by her father's arms. He would drop her for sure. What had she done wrong? Why didn't anyone love her or care for her? Why did everyone hate her and hurt her? Why did she keep living when she deserved to die? She agreed with her father. She agreed that she wanted to die and she let him drop her. His red eyes would be the last things that she would ever see.

Ann closed her eyes and waited for her pitiful life to flash before her eyes, like in the cheesy cartoons. But there were no images of the happy times in her head. There were no images at all. Ann gave up on that concept and waited for the blow of her teenage body to hit the sharp tools. She estimated that was where she would land. She heard some clattering then felt her body being lifted from the air. She felt as though someone was holding her. She opened her eyes just to look upon huge brown eyes filled with sympathy and kindness. Then, she blacked out from exhaustion and pain.

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Ann woke up in a bed. It was unfamiliar to her. She usually woke up on the floor or scrunched up against a wall or corner. She looked around to see a tool box, a table with two chairs, a T.V., a shelf, a refrigerator, a couch and a kitchen with cooking supplies. She tried to sit up but pain shot through her whole body so the laid back down, clutching her head. She noticed that she was in different clothes that were not her own. They looked like guy clothes. She shrugged the thought away and noticed there was a figure lying on the couch. His chest moved slowly. _He's asleep. Who is he? _Ann whimpered. She wanted to die. What else would she do in this world? What was she good for?

The figure on the cough stirred and stood up. He rubbed his eyes and looked at his visitor. She was awake.

"Good. Your awake." He said with a smile. "A nasty fall, wouldn't you say?" Ann stared at the boy with curious eyes.

"Who are you?" Ann asked as she tried to sit up again. She didn't succeed and she fell back down onto her back. "Ugh." She moaned.

"Heh, more importantly. Who are you? And what were you doing being held outside a window?" The boy walked over to the bed.

"Um." Ann tried to remember but her head hurt to think. She clutched it in pain and groaned again.

"Okay okay. I understand." The boy smiled. "What happened to the doctor? I saw a clinic but it seemed abandoned.

"Ugh.." Ann groaned. Why was he asking so many questions.

"Oops! Sorry.." The boy apologized. "I keep forgetting. No more questions today. I promise." The boy smiled and put his hand over his head. He turned to the kitchen and started cooking. Ann couldn't care less about what he was doing. She hurt too much. She soon grew tired of listening to the boy clinking the dishes and utensils, so she decided to sleep. And sleep she did.

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Doug was shocked. Over half an hour. No screaming, no sounds what-so-ever. He was confused. What happened? She fell! She would have yelped in pain as she hit the ground…wouldn't she? Doug shrugged and stood up from his chair. He walked over to Ann's room and looked out the bloody window. Nothing. No body and no blood on the ground. He decided she was down there dead, but he needed a different view.

Doug sprinted down the wood stairs and burst through the front door. He skidded on the front step then turned around to the side of the Inn.

"WHAT?" Doug shouted at the top of his lungs. "WHERE IS SHE!" There was no body, no blood, no bones. "What the crap?" He breathed as he knelt into the dirt. He saw one pair of footprints, but they were not Ann's shoes. Her feet were much smaller. _Oh well. As long as she's out of my way…_

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Thank you to my fans for reading this far! If you have any ideas where this story should go or something, suggest it! I might use it! I probably will:D Thanks.


	8. Explanations

Thanks for all the reviews guys. I hope I can keep all of my wonderful fans:D

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Jack made soup and it was getting cold. He was waiting patiently for the girl to wake up and enjoy her soup. He hoped he could get some answers out of her after she had something to eat. He watched her sleep in his clothes. He was embarrassed when he striped her of her own bloody clothes but he really didn't have much of a voice.

_She seems so peaceful and, dare I even think it…beautiful._ She was very pretty with her orange hair. He had never fallen in love before and thought the only life for him was a bachelor farmer's one. He shrugged the thought away as she rolled over.

"Hi." The girl said as she sat up. "Wow… My head stopped hurting."

"Hungry?" Jack asked. The girl nodded her head and Jack happily sprung up from the couch, went over to the stove and grabbed the soup he had prepared for her. He wanted to see if he was a good cook. He got a spoon and walked as fast as he could over to his bed without spilling the soup. He shoved the bowl and spoon into the girls hands and she almost spilt. "Sorry." Jack apologized as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Ann nodded and quietly ate her soup. She didn't respond in any way or say anything like "yummy" or "good soup". She just ate it. Jack was puzzled but watched her eat when finally the girl spoke.

"What are you, a stalker? Why are you watching me eat?" The girl glared at Jack.

"Oh uh...sorry." Jack turned away from his guest and went to the shelves. He grabbed a flower and put it in the vase that was on his dresser. The girl watched him, he could feel her painful eyes on his back as he watered the flower. He turned around and smiled at the girl. She had finished the soup. She almost smiled back as he took the bowl and spoon from her lap. "So, who are you?" Jack asked as he cleaned the dishes.

"Oh no, my turn for questions." The girl responded. Not the answer Jack was expecting. He shrugged. "First," The red-head began. "What time is it?" Jack checked his watch.

"Ten to." He blankly stated. The girl rolled her eyes.

"Ten to what?" She sighed.

"Oh right sorry...again." Jack was terrible around people. "Ten to two."

"Okay, thank you." The girl said in an annoyed tone. "Number two, who are you? I've never seen you in Mineral Town before."

"Oh. My name is Jack Polden." Jack gloated. The girl rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "And I've moved here from the city to take over the farm. I just arrived two days ago. I got here just that night when you….yah." Jack's voice squeaked. He blushed.

"I was out for two days!" The girl almost screamed. Jack nodded. "And we're on the farm?" Jack nodded again. "Okay…" Ann regained her saneness and asked one more question. "Number three. What am I wearing!" Jack blushed even more, his cheeks turning a dark shade of scarlet.

"Well uh, your other clothes were bloody and wet and teary. I didn't want you to get sick so I uh…-gulp-. You see." Jack stuttered.

"Okay I get it." The girl's harsh face softened into a sweet smile. "My name is Ann. Thank you." Ann extended her hand and Jack shook it firmly.

"Nice to meet you Ann. May I ask you some questions now?"

"Sure. Shoot."

"What happened to the doctor? I remember the clinic when I passed it but it looked abandoned." Ann thought for a moment, as if calling up a faint memory from the back of her mind.

"Oh. Poor Doctor. In just the beginning of spring, Doctor and Elli, since their married now, had to move out of town because the clinic wasn't earning them enough money to support their new family. They have a beautiful baby girl. Looks like Elli." Ann smiled.

"Okay, so no medical clinic?" Ann shook her head. "Okay then, I'll have to look after you until your better. Allright?" Ann shook her head again. "What?" Jack answered, shocked by Ann's gesture.

"There's really no need." Ann mumbled. "I don't need to live, I don't deserve to life and I don't want to live." Jack had to lean in closer in order to hear Ann speak but when he realized what she had just said he almost fainted.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jack screamed, raising his arms in the air. "Why wouldn't you want to live! Your young! You have so much to live for!" Ann thought about this.

"My dad hates me. He'll find me eventually and kill me, like he wanted to before." Ann's voice trailed off then she looked straight at Jack. "My heart is broken, my body is broken and my spirit it broken. I just don't have the will to live." Jack's heart sank.

"But Ann…" Jack began but Ann cut him off.

"Look Jack, it was nice of you to help me, but it would have been better if you would have let me fall." Ann looked angry. "I. Don't. Want. To. Live." Ann said slowly, making sure that Jack would understand. Worry and tears flushed to Jack's eyes. He could only hope that the red-headed guest wouldn't notice.

"Well, okay then…" Jack said. "What are you going to do now then?" Jack asked with interest.

"Leave of course. Maybe climb a tree and purposely fall off, or jump the river. You know, there's always the mountain." Ann listed off the ways that she could kill herself on her fingers. She finished counting before adding the others that she had thought of such as; stabbing, beating, cutting or shooting. Ann tried to get up by pushing her hands into the mattress but she heard a crack and yelped in pain. She fell back onto the bed. Jack had turned and was investigating the fridge but as soon as he heard Ann scream he whipped back around to face her.

"What happened?" Jack asked quickly as he rushed over to the bed while grabbing a first aid kit on his way.

"Augh." Ann shook her head. "I don't…know." Ann said between harsh breaths. "Gah!" She cried.

"Mind if I help a bit before you leave?" Jack said with a smile, showing Ann the first aid kit. He winked which made Ann giggle. _Why am I giggling? He's not even funny._

"Fine." Ann sighed, regaining her composure. Jack moved closer to the bed and Ann slowly inched away and ran into the wall. "What're you gunna' do?" Ann asked nervously. She wasn't sure if she trusted him. The only men in her life had hurt her. _Why did I eat that soup! It could have been poisoned! _Ann started to panic. "Get away from me you freak!" Ann yelped. Jack stopped dead in his tracks.

"Ann...I think I have something that might belong to you…" Jack placed the first aid kit on the table behind him and reached into his pocket. Ann flinched and closed her eyes. "Please Ann, don't be afraid. Please look." Jack pleaded. Ann opened her eyes slowly then realized what Jack was holding.

"My pages!" She squealed. Ann's face filled with delight and surprise. Jack walked over to Ann and handed her the pages.

"I uh, picked them up before I caught you…" Jack mumbled. He smiled at Ann. "Trust me?" He asked, picking the first-aid kit up again. Ann nodded as she placed her precious diary pages, containing all her feelings, onto the bedside table. "Uh…You might have to… Uh..." Jack stuttered. "Um…remove your clothes…heh…" Jack blushed.

"Oh…right. I don't mind." Ann smiled and also blushed. Jack closed his eyes, turned around and covered them with his free hand. Ann giggled and removed the clothes she was wearing. Ann gasped as she realized she didn't have her undergarments either. "Oh well…" Ann rolled her eyes. "Okay." Jack turned and almost fell over. He coughed nervously and then got to work, bandaging Ann's wounds and bruises. He put casts on the broken limbs, covered the deep cuts and put disinfectant almost on her whole body. He blushed the whole time.

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Cute eh? - Well, even if you didn't think so, I did. Sorry if I offended some people. I might have to raise the rating….


	9. Elli's Child

Ann slept peacefully in her washed clothes that actually belonged to Jack. Sure, they were both embarrassed when Jack had tended to her broken body, but they also both knew that Ann appreciated it. Jack smiled at the sleeping body, and then caught himself.

"What am I doing?" He whispered harshly to himself. "I don't even know this girl...and I'm watching her sleep… How creepy am I?" He sighed and closed the fridge door. He had grabbed a couple of cookies and was about to sit down to munch on them. Just then a harsh loud sound came from outside. A cross between the crash of wood and the yelps of humans. Jack stood quickly and dropped his cookies on the floor. They smashed into bits with a quiet splat as Jack opened the door of his house on his farm.

A structure that Jack had assumed was the chicken coup when he first arrived at the farm had collapsed! There was wood sprawled everywhere and he heard faint cries from beneath the wood pile. Jack sprinted over to it and heard the cries a bit better.

"Help! Help us!" "Agh!" Jack pulled some boards out of the way and saw a human figure. He pulled out another board and a plank hit the figure on the head. The whole wooden structure shuddered and fell even lower. The figure fell and stopped moving.

"AGH! SORRY!" Jack apologized quickly as he moved more planks. "Hold on in there!" Jack yelled as he pulled of five more planks. Jack usually grew tired easily and this was NOT helping. "Grrg" Jack grunted. He pulled off the final few pieces of wood and saw a pink-haired girl and a brown-haired boy. The girl looked up at him with huge eyes full of worry. "Hi…" Jack greeted. "I'm Jack." He extended a hand out to the girl, offering to help her onto her feet.

"…Popuri.." The girl said as she helped herself off, refusing Jack's hand. He awkwardly lowered his arm and asked.

"Excuse me?" He asked confused.

"It's my name doorknob. You gunna' help my boyfriend or what?" Popuri glared at Jack, glancing at the unconscious boy afterwards.

"Uh…yea…sorry about that Popuri." Jack quivered. He was very intimidated by this girl. She stuck her hands aggressively on her hips.

"Well?" She yelped, pointing to the boy.

"Oh yah. Sorry." Jack thought of a mean comeback to respond with but came up with nothing. He sighed in defeat and stepped into the matted mess of tacks, wood and dust. He picked up the boy, slung him over his shoulders and walked towards the house.

"Careful!" Popuri yelled. "He's a living thing!" Popuri exclaimed with great concern. Jack rolled his eyes. Like he didn't know that. He turned and raised one eye brow as he turned just in time to see Popuri stumble in the debris. He giggled under his breath, when she got up, her dress was greatly ripped and her underwear was clearly visible. Popuri suddenly screamed in pain.

"AUGH!" She shrilled. "Owy!" Tears started to flow out of her eyes. Jack panicked.

"Uh… Hold on!" Jack stammered. "I'll be right there to help you!" Popuri wept loudly and Jack could even hear her after he had stepped inside the house and closed the door. He set the boy next to the sleeping Ann, not thinking that she would mind, but Jack didn't know how wrong he was.

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In Dustwood City.

Elli screamed in horror, holding her child in her arms.

"Don't hurt us anymore than you already have!" She wept. Her daughter was curling up against her chest in fright.

"Momma!" The brown eyed girl yelped. Elli soothed her child by stroking her silky, short brown hair.

"I won't let him hurt you. I promise." She gently whispered into her daughter's ear. "Not again. I promise Ciar." Elli put the child onto a chair and stood up to her full height. "Leave." She bellowed. She pointed a finger at the doorway that was only a couple feet away from where she was standing.

"Make me. You have no authority over me." The male said.

"This is my house! You will leave! Now! Or I will report you!" Elli pointed to the phone now, which was a mistake because just then, the man smashed the phone to bits with his fist. Elli stared wide-eyed. "Why do you do this to us?" She screamed.

"Because I can." The male said, slowly inching closer to the child.

"Mommy!" Ciar cried. "Mommy stop him! Help mommy! I scared!" The man lunged for the child, aiming to hurt her but Elli dove in front of him, absorbing the pain meant for her daughter. "MOMMY!" Ciar screamed in a shrill young voice as her mother fell to the floor in pain.

"Good enough." The man mumbled. He slammed the door behind him and exited the house. Elli groaned and rolled over. Her young daughter was staring at her, wide-eyed and graciously whimpering as she hopped off of the chair.

"Sanks Momma." Ciar mumbled. She grabbed her mother's arm in attempt to pull her onto her feet. She failed and fell onto her back end instead. Elli giggled and got herself up. Surprisingly, she felt fine. She smiled and picked Ciar up and cooed her.

"You were so brave!" Ciar beamed. Elli smiled. "We have to leave." She said. Ciar frowned and looked very sad.

"But whatsabout Ghai?" Ciar whimpered. "He's gots no mommy!"

"Ghai?" Elli wondered. "Isn't he living with his uncle?" Ciar shook her tiny head. "What?"

"His uncle gotsed put inda big cage!" Ciar tried to explain how big the cage was with her little arms.

"You mean jail?" Ciar sadly nodded her head. "Oh." Elli smiled.

"Mommy!" Ciar squealed. "It's not a happy thing! He has no home!"

"Oh yes he does." Elli beamed. Ciar still looked angry and confused. "He's coming with us." Ciar's brown eyes opened wide in shock and amazement.

"Really mommy?" Ciar squealed Elli nodded her head happily and Ciar jumped out of her arms. "Let's get packed mommy!" Elli giggled as she saw her child struggle with opening Elli's suitcase. It was bigger than her and she couldn't reach the handle.

Elli wandered over to the window and saw the man walking to a dog. He kicked the dog and the poor puppy whimpered. Elli gasped and ran outside.

"Leave the poor thing alone!" Elli screamed at the man. "I thought you helped living things! Not hurt them and kill them!" Elli's mind flashed back to a year ago when she had witnessed this man kill a horse out of his terrible temper. She shook the memory away and stepped towards the young pup.

"Outta my way woman!" The man yelled as he kicked the dog's underbelly. It whimpered and showed it's frightened state by putting it's white tail between it's tiny legs. Elli gasped, then turned furious with the man. She ran over to the puppy and scooped it up into her arms. "I said outta' my way!" The man ran up to Elli and hit her across the face. Elli turned.

"Leave." She said sternly. "You have no place here." Elli's face was serious and stern. "We don't want you here. No one does." The man smirked and punched her in the stomach. Elli fell to the ground and dropped the puppy in the process. She grasped her stomach in pain as the man ran into the house. "No!" Elli groaned as she fell into the dirt. "Noooo." She sobbed quietly to herself as she heard her daughter yelp for help from inside the house.


	10. Jack's Embrace

"Gosh" Jack gasped as he stared at Popuri's foot. "I uh…"

"DO SOMETHING!" Popuri screamed. "Gahgh!" She shrieked. Jack rolled his eyes. "_I'm trying! Gosh_." He leaned in closer to the wood and the girl's foot. "Careful…"Popuri whispered. Jack nodded without looking up and extended his hand to her foot. He lightly touched her and she yelped. "I said careful!" She scolded.

"I'm trying." Jack grunted as he inspected the foot. "Put your weight on the other foot okay?" Popuri nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "_Not again._" "Okay, I'm going to try and lift the foot okay? Just close your eyes and…pretend your with your boyfriend. Okay?" Popuri nodded and quickly squeezed her eyes shut. She sighed and Jack rolled his eyes. He lightly grabbed hold of the foot and lifted it a bit. Now the nail was clearly visible. He squinted at the sight of the blood gushing out of the poor girl's foot.

"It's really deep." Jack whispered to himself. He swallowed harshly and lifted her foot even more. Her light foot was free of the sharp nail's grasp but there was a huge welt that was spewing what seemed like endless litres of blood. His eyes grew wide. "Hold on!" He yelped as he picked up Popuri and sprinted to the house. Popuri screamed the whole way there. He set her on the couch and left Popuri screaming there while he grabbed the first aid kit.

"Ach!" Popuri whimpered. "It's really…"And then she fainted.

"Hah hah. Weak stomached." Jack smiled and appreciated his gift of not fainting at the sight of blood. He grabbed disinfectant and squirted it onto her heel and then wrapped it in layers and layers of very thick bandages. He didn't know how to deal with this kind of injury and only had little experience. It also didn't help that the Doctor and Elli were gone. He shrugged and laid the pink haired girl onto the couch so her head was under a cushion.

He turned to look at his other two victims. He was glad he could help but he was very tired. He pulled himself to a chair near the table and saw Ann roll over. Now Ann and the brown haired boy were laying face to face, eye to eye. Jack rested his head in his hands and sighed. "_They'd make a good couple. Better than him and that pink haired snob. Well, probably_," He though to himself, smiling. If only he would one day fall in love. But he knew, beyond his hopes and dreams and his huge heart, there was a tiny cloud of doubt that would soon overtake him.

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"Ghai! No! Don't do it! Save youwself!" Ciar screamed at a little dark green haired boy.

"I have to save you!" He shouted back with confidence. "Let her go you monster!" He pounded on the black-haired man's back and legs, trying to get him to stop running. He was carrying Ciar over his one shoulder.

"Out of my way runt." The man kicked the boy away from him and poor Ghai fell into a nearby bush.

"No! Not until you let her go!" He shrieked as he instantly stood up. He was dirty and now bloodstained.

"Ghai! Stop it!" Ciar sobbed. "Please… I won't want him to hurt you too."

"Too bad!" Ghai leaped onto the man's other shoulder and pounded on his head. "LET HER GO!" He shrieked into one of his ears. The man was running in a large field when Ghai had seen him. The man was not very fast and Ghai had easily caught up with him.

"Gah!" The man growled and punched the boy off of himself. Ghai fell onto the ground with a faint thud. There was no civilization for miles around now he was sure. Ghai's eyes lost their hope and he didn't know what to do. Suddenly, a woman dressed in blue with brown hair, just like Ciar's, ran quickly past him. A brown and white dog was not far behind her. Ghai realized that this was Ciar's mom, coming to save her so he quickly jumped up again.

"Miss Elli!" He yelped. The woman turned but kept running and looked at Ghai. She turned back to her daughter and pulled her off of the man with great grace. The woman shouted a few words that Ghai couldn't make out. The man stopped running and stared at the woman. The woman slowly started to raise her hand to slap him. "_Wait, this isn't happening slow…_" Ghai realized his hazy state just as his feet stumbled beneath him and he fell onto the dead, harsh, prickly and brown grass. He couldn't see anything after that.

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Ann woke up quietly, not hoping to wake anyone else that might be sleeping. She awoke to the feeling of someone breathing on her face. She opened one eye cautiously in hope of seeing who was beside her. Her other eye sprung open as she recognized the boy. She rolled over and fell onto the floor.

"Ouch." She grunted quietly. She looked around and got up, rubbing her backend. She saw Jack sitting on a chair, his head resting on the table and his arms hanging limply by his sides. She also saw Popuri sleeping on a couch. "_That little backstabber._" Ann thought. She then turned to the bed and saw none other than Cliff. The heartbreaker. "What are they doing here?" Ann whispered to herself.

"Sleeping. What's it look like?" A voice came from behind her. Ann spun on her heels and saw Popuri sitting up on the sofa. "Hey Ann." Popuri smirked.

"Why are you here?" Ann asked as she tip-toed over to her former best-friend.

"The more important question is, why are YOU here Ann." Popuri raised one eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"Jack caught me. He saved my life." Ann stated firmly. "Your turn."

"Who's Jack?" Popuri asked in disgust. "The freak that lives here?"

"He's not a freak." Ann growled. "_Wait… Why am I standing up for him?_" She thought.

"Well…whatever. Call him what you want to." Popuri squirmed in her seat. "My butt's numb!" She squealed.

"Do I care?" Ann smirked. "So why are you here?" Ann pointed a finger at the pink haired girl. Popuri rolled her eyes.

"Jack saved me too I guess." Popuri steamed. "Enough said?"

"Yes. Enough said." Ann replied. She frowned at the evil pink coloured girl and put her hands on her hips. Popuri shook her head.

"Whatever happened to us?" She stared up at Ann. "We used to be best friends…" Ann's mouth opened in shock.

"As if you don't know you black-hearted fool." She spat. Popuri was taken aback and quickly thought of something witty to say.

"You…you…" She stammered. "You naive little carrot top!"

"Look, do you honestly not know?" Ann looked accusingly at her enemy.

"What!" Popuri asked harshly. Tears suddenly rushed to Ann's eyes. This was unexpected but she didn't care.

"You…" She gasped. "You broke my heart." Ann replied, starting to sob. "You shattered it." Tears began to slid down Ann's pale cheeks.

"How did I manage that?" Popuri asked. Ann just closed her eyes and covered them with her hands. Her shoulders shook as she fell to her knees. "How could I have shattered your heart?" Ann looked up from her hands and stared into Popuri's pink eyes.

"You took him away!" She yelped, motioning to Cliff sleeping on the bed. She sobbed and shook while she spoke. "You stole him away from me… Why do you hate me! Why did you have to make my life even more miserable!" Popuri didn't respond because she noticed that the boys that were in the room were waking up. Ann didn't realize this and she kept ranting. "My mother, my father and now you and Cliff! You've all broken me in different ways! I can't stand it anymore!" Ann's voice had raised to a scream. "Why does everyone feel the need to hurt me and abuse my soul!" Her voice quivered. "I JUST WANT TO DIE!" By this time Cliff was standing and Jack had knelt down near Ann. Ann's face fell back into her hands and Jack tried to comfort her by setting a hand on her shoulder. Ann sobbed and Cliff walked over to Popuri.

"Why me…"Ann whispered to herself. "Why me…" Jack's face was full of worry. This beautiful, young girl's spirit was broken and she didn't feel the need to live.

"It's okay Ann." Jack tried to comfort her. "It'll be okay." Ann sobbed again and leaned into Jacks' body. She was quivering as Jack hugged her tightly. Her frame fit neatly into his embrace and buried her face into his chest. Jack rested his head on Ann's and she seemed to calm down.

"I think…" Jack started as he picked Ann's shaking body into his arms. "You need to leave." He stared at Popuri and the boy. "I'm assuming your Cliff?" The brown haired boy nodded his head. Both of the teens had guilty and depressing look on their faces. They looked at each other then at Jack. "Leave." He said. "Leave now." Ann was now in Jack's arms. He was standing at glaring at the two. They quickly walked to the door. The girl immediately opened the door and walked out. The boy stood in the doorway for a few moments.

"I'm so sorry Ann." He said. He closed the door behind him. Jack carried Ann over to the bed and sat down. He hugged her close to his own body and stroked her red hair.

"Maybe…" Ann whispered. "Maybe if I was prettier." She sniffled. "Then maybe…maybe my mother wouldn't have died. Or maybe…maybe my dad would love me. Maybe he wouldn't hurt me. Or…" She sniffed again. "Maybe Cliff would love me…" She looked up into Jack's eyes. Her knees were brought up to her chest and her arms were in front of her, touching Jack's chest.

"Oh Ann." Jack smiled as he looked back into her blue eyes. "Even if no one else can see it." Jack gently touched her cheek. "You are so beautiful." Ann looked longingly into his loving eyes. She fell back into his embrace. Jack lost track of time. So did Ann but all she knew was that the little place in her heart that Stu had opened, that little place was meant for Jack.

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Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I went to camp. It was fun. Anywayz, please read and review. :)


	11. Dreams

Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics to Screamer: Good Charlotte or harvest moon. I do own Ghai and Ciar though. Go me:D

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"Why is life such an issue in your mind." Ann quietly whispered the lyrics as she walked around the field. "Why are the answers to my problems hard to find." She smiled as she saw Jack run up to her.

"How are you feeling?" Jack quietly asked.

"Fine." Ann said. She was wearing a sweater, sweat pants and one of his pajama shirts. All the clothes she wore now belonged to Jack. She didn't mind. She felt that boy clothes felt better around her scarred body. She held her shoulders, taking in the warmth of the warm clothes. She didn't have any clothes of her own anymore. They were all at the Inn and she wasn't willing to go back there. She didn't ever want to leave the peaceful farm. Jack smiled.

"Good." He shivered. "It's chilly out today." He looked around.

"It's autumn silly." Ann stared at her friend. "Of course it's chilly." She shuddered.

"Well okay." Jack turned back to Ann. "Time for lunch." Ann nodded and followed Jack back into the house.

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"When will he wake up mommy?" Ciar was leaning over Ghai's body. They had walked to the docks and gotten on a boat. They had brought the unconscious boy with them.

"When he isn't tired anymore." Elli tried her best to not let Ciar know that her best friend was badly hurt. "That's when he will wake up." She tried not to cry.

"When will that be?" Ciar's huge green eyes almost matched the color of Ghai's hair.

"Soon…" Elli's voice quivered as she ran her fingers through Ghai's hair. The boy moaned slightly then shivered. Ciar ran to a nearby closet and grabbed blankets and pillows. She immediately started assorting and arranging the pillows and blankets on and around his body. Elli was proud of her daughter's care for this young boy.

"Please wake up…" Ciar's eyes started to water. "Please come talk to me." She dug her face into his chest. "I need you…" Elli walked up to her daughter and scooped her up into her arms. She cradled the little brunette until she fell asleep.

"He's fine." She whispered into the five year old's ear. Elli gently set the sleeping child next to the unconscious one and closed the door to the cabin room. "I hope."

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Ann wiped her mouth with a napkin and pushed her chair back.

"Thanks Jack." She chimed. "It was good." Ann picked up the plates and put them into the sink. Jack walked over to her.

"Your smiling." He noticed. He smiled also. Ann quickly blushed and covered her face with the sleeves of her shirt. "Ann, it's a good thing." Jack commented as he brought Ann's hands away from her face. She was still blushing but now she was crying.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I just can't forget what you said." She looked into his eyes. "I don't know how to believe it."

"You may not have to believe it, just know that it's true and it may come naturally." Jack smiled and put his hands on Ann's waist. Ann wrapped her arms around Jack's neck and pulled him into a hug.

"Thanks Jack." She whispered into his ear. They stood in the embrace for a while then Ann broke it and walked over to the bed. She sniffled and sat down. "What will I do with my life?" She looked at her feet.

"Follow your dreams." Jack didn't know what to say but he hoped he could help. He was trying his best.

"I don't have any…" Ann replied, still looking down at the floor. "I don't dream."

"Why not?" Jack wondered. Ann shrugged her shoulders. "You don't know what you want to do…." Ann sadly shook her head.

"I…" She quivered. "I just don't know what to do…I don't have goals. I just…." She looked up at Jack. "I've always just done what I was told."

"Ann." Jack walked over to Ann and sat beside her. "You have to live your own life now."

"I don't know how." Ann replied, staring at her shoes again.

"Then I can help you." Jack brought Ann's chin up to look at her eyes. He smiled and Ann blushed.

"Okay…" Ann whispered. She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her side and watched her close her eyes. "I trust you." She said.

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"Ciar?" A young voice wavered in the dark room. "Ciar!" He started to panic. He stood up but immediately fell onto his face. He lifted his head up and called out again. "Ciar! Miss Elli!"

"Ghai?" A slender and beautiful voice came from a light that was a few feet away from him. The light expanded and covered him like a blanket. "Ghai! Your awake." Elli walked into the room and helped the little boy onto his feet. She knelt down and smiled into his face.

"Hello Miss Elli." The boy said. "Where is Ciar?" He wondered. Just then a tiny black figure appeared in the space of light that Elli had walked through.

"Ghai?" The figure whispered. "Are you okay?" The figure walked over to him and he realized that it was Ciar. Ghai ran up to her and hugged her tightly.

"Ciar! Are you okay?" Ghai pulled away from the hug and grabbed one of her hands. She giggled and nodded.

"We're going to my mommy's home." Ciar chimed. "In a new place called Minal City!" She beamed.

"It's, Mineral Town dearest." Elli corrected her cute brunette of a daughter. Ciar blushed.

"Cool!" Ghai broke the uneasy silence. "Where are we now?"

"We're on a boat." Ciar chimed.

"Why am I on the boat?" Ghai asked. Elli looked at him again.

"Your staying with us from now on." Ghai gasped while Elli and Ciar smiled greatly.

"Really?" He asked. Ciar hugged her friend again and brought him out of the room. His eyes enlarged greatly as he saw that they were surrounded by water.

"Yes…really." Ciar's cute smile spread across her face. Ghai was amazed. He had never been out of Dustwood City. Neither had Ciar. Now they were there together, hand in hand, both hoping for a better future.

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Teehee! I love how this is turning out so cute. :) Please review.


	12. Is This Love?

(_A.N. I skipped to fall because I wanted to. Really, summer would come next but let me just summarize it for you. Kai came to the beach and Popuri hid their relationship from him. Kai suspected something. Winter, nothing exciting happened_.)

"Ann come here for a minute." Jack called from the doorway. Ann was looking in the fridge. She looked up and closed the fridge.

"Why?" She responded as she walked over to the door.

"Some people have some explaining to do." Jack was glaring at someone outside the open door. He opened it wider as Ann approached to reveal none other than a pink haired girl and a brown haired boy.

"You." Ann muttered under her breath as she glared at the two. "What do you want." She snarled, stepped towards them aggressively and raised a fist. Jack held her back.

"Ann, it's okay." Jack said, his eyes not leaving the couple.

"Uh…" Popuri started. She popped her bubble gum and sighed. "Sorry about your farm and taking up your time yesterday and the day before." She rolled her eyes.

"We didn't know someone had taken over the abandoned farm and we had made a clubhouse here before." Cliff motioned to the pile of rubble that used to be a structure. "Thank you for helping us though." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yah."

"Okay thanks." Jack said and he started closing the door. Ann immediately reacted and put her foot in between the door and the wall so Jack couldn't close it the rest of the way. "Ann?" He questioned.

"Uhm… Can I talk to Cliff?" Ann blushed sheepishly. Jack nodded and let Ann slip out. He shut the door and prayed for Ann's safety.

"Be safe." He whispered.

Ann caught up with the two and tapped Cliff on the shoulder lightly.

"Cliff?" She looked at him, trying to keep up but she still had a limp. She noticed that Popuri was limping too.

"Yes?" Cliff's face turned to meet Ann's. Ann grabbed Cliff's shoulders and stopped walking. Popuri didn't notice at first then she stopped and limp jogged back.

"Can we talk?" Ann asked sweetly.

"Can we talk." Popuri mocked. "Why do you need to talk to him? He doesn't love you. No one does. Come on Cliff" Popuri grabbed Cliff's arm and tried to pull him onward but Cliff resisted.

"Okay we can talk. Popuri. You go home. I'll meet you there later." Cliff started walking alongside Ann, letting her lead the way.

"What!" Popuri fumed. "Ugh!" She shrieked. She sighed in defeat and sprinted home to await the coming of her boyfriend.

"So?" Cliff asked as Ann and him reached the forest.

"Well…" Ann began. "I wanted to tell you about what has happened in my life since you…left." Cliff stalled in his brisk walk.

"Left? I didn't leave. I was here the whole time." Cliff's voice noted that he was confused.

"You left my life." Ann confirmed. She motioned for him to continue walking so he did.

"Oh." Was all Cliff could bring himself to say.

So Ann explained about her father beating her and threatening her and dropping her from a window. Cliff had almost fallen over at that part but he wouldn't tell Ann why when she asked. She told him about Jack and how he had saved her. She left out the part of him seeing her naked to spare herself the embarrassment. She told him that she didn't want to ever leave the farm again. She told him that she didn't have any goals or dreams. Cliff was very silent during the whole story.

"So… that's my story I guess." Ann concluded at the end of her long speech. Ann and Cliff were sitting on tree trunks in front of the Goddess Pond. Cliff nodded his head, staring into the water.

"Well, okay. Thanks." Cliff cleared his throat then looked to Ann. "Why'd you want me to know?" Ann shrugged.

"Because I want you to be my friend still, even if you've broken my heart. I just hope that I can find it in my heart to forgive you and Popuri." Ann swallowed. "I want you in my life still."

"Oh." Cliff looked back to the dirt. "Well, I've got to go." Cliff stood and brushed off his pants.

"Okay." Ann agreed. "Me too." She paused. "Just not yet." Cliff waved and walked off, back to the Inn.

"I broke her heart? I thought she didn't love me. No, she doesn't. Popuri's right. She's just confused. I really don't think I ever loved her either." Cliff's thoughts were warped by Popuri's lies but he didn't know it. "My life is fine and her issues are not my problem." He muttered as he walked into the Inn. No one ran it anymore. No food was served, no parties were held. You could even stay in a room free of charge. Cliff shook his head in dismay. Thomas was such a clueless mayor. He never knew what was happening in his town.

Cliff walked up the dusty stairs and across the second floor's hallway. He came to the third room and reached for the doorknob.

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"Wow, we're here!" Ciar gazed in amazement as she tried to bring some of her family's luggage onto the sandy beach. She stumbled and landed on her back. "Oof." She grunted as she leaped back up, determined to bring the bags onto the beach. Ghai joined her in the task until Elli stepped out of the boat with her purse and a medicine book.

"Guys.." She giggled. "Let me help." Elli reached for the biggest suitcase but the two five year olds shushed her away.

"No, no Miss Elli. Let us do this on our own." Ghai asked politely as he stood up and bowed. Elli giggled and sighed.

"Alright." She gave in. Ghai smiled, seeming satisfied with himself .He turned to r to just catch a glimpse of Ciar's light body struggling with a bag then she slipped and lost her footing. The wind was very strong and it played it's part in pushing the girl into the water. She yelped as she splooshed into the chilly ocean water.

"Help!" She gurgled, trying to stay above the surface.

"Ciar!" Ghai jumped over to the end of the dock and reached for his companion's hand. "Grab it!" He yelled. Ciar tried to get closer to Ghai's reaching, extended hand but just ended up swallowing what seemed like gallons of water. She tried again and got hold of his fingers.

"Mommy!" She shrieked. "Save me! Help me!" Elli remembered the night when the man had attempted to hurt her daughter and she had taken the blow for her. She had said the exact same words but now Elli was frozen in fear. Ciar's grasp could not withstand the slippery water on her and Ghai's hands so they easily slipped apart. "Ghai!" She cried.

"Ciar!" Ghai stood up and prepared to dive into the raging waters. Elli leaped at him and kept him from sacrificing himself for her daughter.

"Ghai don't!" She squealed. "We'll just end up losing both of you." She hugged him close as her own tears mixed with the water in his thick hair.

"But Ciar…" Ghai gazed off at the figure that was still shrieking in the water, miles away already. He shut his eyes in defeat. Tears flew from his eyes as he sobbed. He turned and wrapped his tiny arms around Elli's waist and she hugged him tightly back. It started to rain and the wind was very fierce. Elli ran her fingers through Ghai's hair. She had made a decision. It was for the best. She didn't want to lose both children but she would have wanted to save her daughter.

"There was nothing we could've done." She whispered to Ghai, more to comfort herself. Elli stood and set Ghai onto the ground. He rubbed his red, puffy eyes and grabbed a few bags. Elli did the same and they walked in silence, Elli leading the way, to their new home in Mineral Town.

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"Cliffie" Popuri's figure sat on the bed.

"Poppie." Cliff grinned. Then he squinted and reached for the light switch.

"Don't." Popuri scolded. "Leave the lights off." A menacing smile formed on her lips. Cliff shrugged then looked Popuri over.

"What are you wearing?" He asked. Popuri stood up and walked over to him. She did a fashion model turn and flipped her hair.

"Tell me Cliff." Popuri lifted her arms over her head in another slutty pose and raised one eyebrow. "Do you like what you see?" She was wearing a black undershirt that extended into a tight dress. It was short and had pink trim. It accentuated her curves and made her look very attractive.

"You tell me." Cliff said as he advanced on his girlfriend. He grabbed her waist and she giggled as she lowered her arms.

"Aren't you glad I moved in with you?" Popuri asked in an innocent tone that didn't suit her at all. She leaned into his face and licked his nose.

"No…" Cliff stared at Popuri with a stern face. Popuri leaned into his ear.

"Lying is a sin Cliff." She harshly whispered.

"Oh really?" Cliff mused. "Well, so is this." Cliff kissed Popuri with great lust. His hormones were going crazy. Popuri's insane outfit was not helping. He promised himself right then that he wouldn't go farther than kissing her. He hoped he could help himself.

"Cliff." Popuri fell into his arms and kissed his neck passionately. Cliff grinned again and pushed her against the wall with a slam.

"Your turn." He growled and kissed her neck. Popuri closed her eyes and let Cliff do his own thing. He kissed her neck and made his way to her mouth. Popuri wrapped her arms around his neck happily as she kissed him tightly back. Cliff responded quickly by aggressively throwing his tongue into her mouth. Popuri broke the kiss and leaned onto him suddenly.

"Hah." She giggled as Cliff lost his balance and fell onto his back. He landed with a thud.

"Oof." He grunted. "Woah!" He exclaimed as Popuri crawled down to his level and kissed him again. Lucky for her, Cliff was wearing a button up shirt. Popuri continued to kiss her boyfriend as her fingers found their way to the brown tiny buttons. Her nimble fingers started to easily unbutton his shirt. Eventually she easily pealed away the shirt and kissed Cliff's chest. He laughed because it tickled.

"Poppie!" He laughed. Cliff brought her face back up to his and kissed her passionately, reaching his arm to the zipper of her dress. She kissed him, her hands holding his head up. Cliff grabbed the zipper lightly and pulled. It unzipped halfway before Cliff stopped himself. He stopped throwing enthusiasm into his kisses. Popuri knew something was wrong.

"Cliffie?" Popuri pulled away from him and lay on his body. "What's wrong?" Cliff shrugged.

"I don't know. Sorry Pop." He knew Popuri wanted to and was willing to go all the way but Cliff didn't want to take that risk before they got married. "_What am I thinking? Marriage? You still love Ann! Don't you?_" Cliff shook his head and Popuri leaned onto her side, still on top of Cliff.

"Okay." She sighed, obviously disappointed. Cliff put his one arm behind his head and ran his fingers through Popuri's hair with the other. Cliff sighed and put his arms down on the ground. He pushed himself up and Popuri sat up with him. Cliff picked Popuri up easily and laid her on the bed. Popuri giggled and Cliff shook his head. "Oh." She looked down at the floor.

"I'm going for a walk." Cliff said easily as he bent down for his shirt. Popuri sniffed and brought herself under the covers. Cliff buttoned up his shirt and left the Inn.

"_Who am I? What am I doing_?"


	13. Kai's Revenge

"This is it" Elli sniffed as she opened the door to the second story of the Clinic. Ghai sneezed.

"Lots of dust." He commented before sneezing again. Elli nodded and switched on the light so they could see. The lights slowly fazed on with a quiet buzz to reveal an old broken down room. There were two beds, a dresser and a few shelves.

"Ghai. I…" Elli set the bags down and hid her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook and she started to sob uncontrollably. Ghai's face turned sympathetic but he didn't know what to do. The woman that was like a mother to him for so many years was breaking down. He was only five! What could he do?

"Aw. Miss Elli." Ghai tried to pick his words carefully. Elli dropped to her knees and put her hands over her eyes. She brought her dress up to wipe her tears, then continued to cry more. Ghai walked over to Elli and hugged her waist. Elli sobbed greatly then turned and hugged Ghai.

"Oh Ghai…" Elli cried. "My poor Ciar!" The sniffled. "How will I go one without her…?"

"I don't know Miss Elli. I just hope that…that she's happier now." Ghai looked at Elli's streaked face and felt her pain. His green eyes melted away into salty tears too. Elli nodded her head and stood up. Ghai looked up at her and smiled. Elli weakly smiled back then started to un-pack her things. Ghai walked over to the window that overlooked the ocean. He wiped his eyes in dismay as he brought up a picture of Ciar smiling in his mind. "I miss you already." He whispered to the waves that now carried Ciar. He closed his eyes, letting more tears roll down his cheeks. He turned from the window and helped Elli unpack. "_I love you._" He thought.

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Kai was coming on a boat, travelling to Mineral Town. He had to inspect Popuri's "friendly" relationship with Cliff. He suspected her of cheating on him.

"Darn you Cliff." He muttered under his breath. Then he spotted something moving in the water. It wasn't a fish, this poor being couldn't swim and was being carried by the waves. "What's that?" He asked himself. Instinctively, he dove into the water, forgetting his luggage on the ferry. He swam easily across the ocean current. He was a very strong swimmer.

He reached the thing and it turned out to be a little girl. She had brown hair and looked about six years old. Kai grabbed her and put her onto his back. She seemed unconscious, or dead. He hoped the first one as he began to swim the rest of the way to the island, which turned out to be quite far. Eventually, he grew very tired and didn't think he could bring himself to swim any longer.

"Gah." He grunted as he held the girl in his arms. He turned onto his back and floated on the calm waters. It was night when he left and it seemed that the sun was beginning to rise. It was getting a little warmer and the stars were disappearing. Kai laid the girl onto his chest and put on arm on her body for support. He felt her chest moving up and down. "_Yes! Breathing." _He smiled but couldn't bear to close his eyes for fear of the child falling off of his body. "_Stay alive little one. I will guard you forever if you do._"

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Ann had returned to the farm house and retired to her bed after watching a little T.V. Jack had watched with her but he didn't say a word. He only blushed every time Ann looked at him. "_What is up with this guy_?" She thought. She had lived with him for almost a year now and she had only left the farm on a few occasions. Once to talk to Cliff and once to pick some wild grass for cooking. Never did she go into the city. Never did she venture to festivals or holiday celebrations. Jack didn't mind staying home with her.

She hadn't thought that Jack liked her, (Like, crush like) when he said that she was beautiful. She thought he was just trying to comfort her. She wasn't as depressed as she used to be so Jack guessed that he had helped.

Ann tossed and turned in her bed. For some reason, she couldn't sleep tonight. She stood up, only wearing Jack's shirt and her underwear. She tip-toed to Jack's sleeping body and poked his shoulder. Jack murmured and rolled over. Ann poked him harder this time and he opened his eyes. After seeing Ann's thin body in only his pyjama shirt and underwear he was shocked and embarrassed.

"Whoh!" He said as she stumbled onto the floor, just in front of the sofa. He rubbed his head and looked up at Ann's glistening eyes. "Um, yes Ann?" He asked while staggering to stand.

"Um." Ann fidgeted with her hair. "Do you wanna' sleep on the bed?" She turned and pointed to the bed. Jack shrugged.

"Only if it's okay with you." Jack said. Ann smiled. Jack blushed. Ann looked confused and Jack closed his eyes, hoping the embarrassing moment would pass if he didn't look. Once he opened his eyes again, Ann's face was only inches from his.

"Is something wrong?" She sweetly asked. Jack nervously shook his head. Ann smiled.

"Okay." She chimed. "Can I ask you for a favour Jack?"

"Uh…" Jack stuttered. "Sure Ann." He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"I need a hug." Ann said, looking to the floor with her hands, cutely placed behind her back. Jack smiled and stepped closer to Ann. He wrapped his arms tightly around Ann's body. She felt surprisingly cold. Jack hugged her tighter and she squeezed him back. She soon pulled away and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"Thanks Jack." She gratefully thanked him then retreated to the sofa. Jack walked over to the bed and was just about to crawl under the covers when he heard a sound. It sounded like a gunshot. Ann heard it too. She quickly slipped on some pants and sprinted out the door. Jack quickly followed (he was already wearing pyjama pants and shirt.) her onto the field. They heard another shot and the sky lit up with a bright red light then faded away again. The sun had already started to rise. They both ran into the town to see what was going on.

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Elli and Ghai had unpacked their things and were trying to sleep until Ghai had asked Elli if he could go for a walk. Elli hesitated but eventually gave in. Ghai ventured all over their street and soon came into Rose Square where he saw a peculiar sight.

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Kai reached the shore and crawled up onto the sand. He lifted the girl onto a bench and fell into the sand. It stuck to his wet clothes and skin. The poor girl was still unconscious. Kai eventually got up and picked up the girl. He carried her over to his summer restaurant and turned the knob.

"Darn." He murmured. "Locked." He kicked at the door. It didn't open. He reached for his pockets. The key was left in his luggage on the ferry, not in his pockets. He sighed and bent down beneath the sign. "There you are." He spoke to the hidden, dusty key as he picked it up and opened the door.

"Here is your new home." Kai announced to the unconscious brunette. He walked over to his bed on the renovated second floor and laid the girl onto it. He covered her with a few light blankets. Kai was soaked but he didn't care. He had some business to take care of. He went behind the counter on the first floor and opened a locked cupboard. It wasn't really locked; all he had to do was kick it a bit. Inside was a handgun. He grabbed it and put it onto his belt. He let his long purple shirt hang over it so it wasn't visible. He felt for his purple bandana that was usually pulling his medium brown hair out of his face. No bandana. It had washed away in the ocean and he didn't have any at the shop.

Kai sighed as he closed the door behind him. No shoes either. His feet were muddy before long and the sand on them irritated his skin. He quickly ran around town as quietly as he could. He was looking for Cliff. Finally, he came across him sitting on a bench in Rose Square. He snuck up behind Cliff, hoping not to wake him from his day dream. The sun was rising all too soon. He didn't have much time. He grabbed Cliff's shoulders and flung him onto the cement beside the bench. Before Cliff knew it, Kai's foot was on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

"Kai?" He asked. "What do you cough want?" He struggled and eventually became free of Kai's weight. He rolled and stood quickly, his bangs almost completely covering his brown eyes. Kai lost his balance but regained it shortly after. His face was scarlet with anger.

"You." He accused, raising a shaking finger at Cliff.

"Yea." Cliff agreed. "Me." He motioned to himself. "What do you want with me?" Kai walked up to him.

"As if you don't know." Kai shook with anger. "P…p…." He stuttered.

"What?" Cliff was confused. "P…Popuri?" Cliff was beginning to understand. "Is…is this about Popuri?"

"No." Kai rolled his eyes. "Of course it is." Kai quickly pulled out his gun and raised it up against Cliff's forehead.

"Woah!" Cliff panicked. "What's this for?"

"For taking care of unwanted people." Kai slyly said. "Now, give Popuri back to me you monster."

"I didn't take her." Cliff answered honestly. "She came to me, of her own will."

"Liar." Kai said, gritting his teeth. Cliff shrugged. "Say you will leave her, or I will kill you."

"Why didn't you kill me in the summer when you had the chance?" Cliff wondered aloud.

"Because I didn't know then." Kai whispered, glaring at Cliff. "You wouldn't let her tell me." Cliff's eyes enlarged.

"She didn't tell you!" Cliff exclaimed. "Oh." He concluded.

"Mmhmm." Kai pushed the gun's barrel against Cliff's forehead. "Say you'll tell her it's over or you'll be over." He threatened.

"No." Cliff refused. "She's mine now. She loves me." Cliff thought that Kai's eyes turned red. He smacked Cliff's temple with the gun and Cliff fell to the ground with a big gaping wound on his head. Cliff was confused. That is, he was confused, until he blacked out.

"Heh, heh." Kai laughed at Cliff's misery. Kai then noticed a little boy with green hair and eyes hiding behind a bush, watching him. "Scram kid. If you know what's good for 'ya." The boy obeyed and sprinted away. Kai looked onto his unconscious victim. He remembered the good times that they had had. "Backstabber." He muttered under his breath. He sighed. "Life was much easier when girls had cooties."

"Cliffie?" Popuri ran into the north entrance of Rose Square to see Kai with a gun in his hand, standing over her boyfriend that was on the ground. "Kai! You shot him!" Popuri's eyes filled with tears, threatening to burst.

"Not yet." Kai smirked, showing Popuri the blood on the gun, left from Cliff's head. Popuri's eyes opened widely. Kai looked Popuri over. "What are you wearing?" He asked cautiously lowering the gun. Popuri blushed.

"Something I bought…" Popuri mumbled. "For Cliff." She retorted. Kai was shocked. Popuri glared.

"For Cliff? I thought you loved me Pop…What happened?" Kai asked, taking a step away from Cliff and one towards Popuri.

"You were never here for me." Popuri whimpered. "It just didn't work."

"Why didn't you tell me about you two when I came down two seasons ago!" Kai screamed. Popuri started to cry.

"Because I was afraid something like this would happen!" Popuri shrieked back, motioning to Cliff's motionless body. Kai stepped toward Popuri again.

"Your mine." He said confidently. "You belong, to me." He advanced on Popuri, stuck his gun back in his belt and grabbed her.

"I am not your property. Nor Cliff's. I belong to no one." Popuri backed away and slapped Kai. Kai was silent and Popuri ran over to Cliff. She lifted it and cradled it. "I am my own person."

"Stupid girl." He muttered. He walked back over to the couple and shoved Popuri out of the way. Apparently, the whole town had gathered, including the little green haired boy and Elli, holding him. Cliff had also woken up. "No one step any closer." Kai yelled, grabbing Cliff's collar and forcing him to stand. He raised the gun to the side of his head, the opposite to the side of the nasty, bloody gash. "Or I'll shoot." The townsfolk immediately shushed, especially the girls. They all liked Cliff. (Typical.)

Popuri was sitting off to the side, weeping into her hands. Kai pushed Cliff onto the ground beside her, still pointing the gun at him.

"Look at her." He ordered. Cliff hesitated. "LOOK AT HER!" He screamed. Cliff obeyed and looked into Popuri's blotchy pink eyes. "Tell her it's over." Cliff said nothing. "Tell her." Kai was getting annoyed. "Or…" Kai ran over to Elli and grabbed the green haired boy out of her arms. Elli shrieked and fell to her knees, crying. Kai dragged the struggling young boy by the arm, over to where Cliff and Popuri were sitting.

"Or…" Kai hesitated. The boy looked about the same age as the girl that he had saved in the water. Kai shook his head to forget this sympathetic thought. "Or I'll kill him." Kai yanked the boy forward and put the gun next to his head.

"No!" The boy shouted, trying to get away. Kai grinned mischievously and waited for Cliff to answer. Cliff stood, walked up to Kai and punched him in the face. Kai fell over onto his hands and knees, coughing out blood. He let go of the boy on his way down. Although he was too afraid to run away.

"I knew he was evil!" Rick shrieked, pointing at Kai. Kai stood up and punched Cliff in the face, then in the stomach. Cliff spat blood but didn't fall over. Cliff pretended to trip, and then sweep kicked Kai. Kai fell then Cliff pinned him. Kai head bunted his forehead. Cliff stumbled back and Kai brought his gun on him. He shot the ground next to Cliff and he jumped up. Kai stood up also. They glared at each other. The entire town's people were yelling. Kai rolled his eyes and shot into the air. The townsfolk immediately shut up.

"Now." He started. "Cliff." Kai sprinted back to the crying, green haired boy and dragged him over to the middle of the cement square. "Tell Popuri it's over, or I will kill this boy." Kai repositioned his gun on the top of the boy's head. Cliff went onto his knees.

"What's your name?" He asked the little boy. The boy shuddered and cried.

"G-g….Ghai." He quivered.

"Okay Ghai." Cliff calmly said. "I won't let him hurt you." Cliff almost smiled. He stood again and looked Kai in the face. He then softened his gaze and walked over to Popuri. He pulled her onto her feet.

"No. No Cliff." Popuri sobbed. "I love you." She tried to touch his cheek but Cliff resisted. Just then, Jack and Ann pushed to the front of the crowd. Not many noticed them.

"We can't be selfish Popuri." Cliff's expression didn't change. "I'm sorry." Popuri fell onto the ground. Cliff turned to Kai. "There, happy now?" Kai was amused. "Will you leave us in peace now?" Kai shook his head.

"A little parting gift first." He snarled. He shoved the boy away suddenly and aimed for Cliff. Ann reacted and shoved Kai out of the way right before he pulled the trigger. While they fell towards the cement the gun shot at Ghai. It hit him in the shoulder and he fell onto the ground. Kai landed on the ground and Elli ran to the green-haired boy. Kai turned, with Ann falling beside him. He shot at Cliff. Elli's blue dress was stained with blood. Cliff tried to dodge but the bullet ended up lodged in his chest. He fell to the ground too, immediately unconscious.

Popuri looked up from her crying but stayed sitting. She watched as the other townspeople drove Kai back into the beach. Thomas and Harris stayed there, making sure he packed his things and left soon. The others helped get the two "Kai victims" to the clinic. Elli was back from Dustwood City and she could help them. At least, they hoped she could.

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Please review. Even if it might seem that I have an idea of where this story is going, I don't! Please, send me some ideas…if it isn't too much trouble that is. I apologize to Young Roy for making another Cliff story. :-P


	14. Ann's Issue

Whenever someone asked Elli where the doctor was, she wouldn't respond, so they gave up on getting an answer. They asked who the young boy was. Elli also didn't answer for that question. She was very busy at the broken down clinic dealing with Cliff and Ghai, while others helped to fix it up. Cliff and Ghai hadn't been awake for about two days. Elli didn't know why.

Kai still hadn't left the beach. He had food at his restaurant and apparently wanted to ensure Cliff's death. Harris and Thomas tried to get him to leave, but he refused. The brunette that he had rescued had not been awake for two days also. He didn't want to leave until she was at least a bit conscious. He was afraid that if she didn't wake up soon, she'd starve! At least Elli had a way of feeding Ghai and Cliff through tubes connected to their veins or something. He also had no clue how to wake the poor little one up. At least she was still breathing. "_Whatever_." Kai thought.

On the second day, Ann went to see Kai, without Jack's knowledge. He thought she was out picking grass again. Ann sprinted to Rose Square then, at the east exit, ran into Thomas and Harris.

"Hello Ann." Harris greeted. "How is life at the Inn?" Ann shook her head in disbelief. They had no idea what was going on. They didn't know that the Inn had been abandoned or where Ann had been for the last three seasons. They also didn't know that Doug had disappeared.

"Fine and dandy." She replied with a fake smile. "May I get through?"

"Oh no. Kai is in there." Thomas replied. "He might hurt you."

"Please. I'll be fine." Ann reassured the amusing men. They looked at each other, sighed, and then made way for her to get through. "Thank you." Ann muttered as she started to walk. She lightly stepped between the men and down the stairs. She took off her sandals to feel the sand squish in through her toes. She hadn't seen the ocean for almost a whole year. She walked up to it and dipped her toes in. She gave in to temptation and unbuttoned the shirt she was wearing. She slipped off her pants also, left just in her white bra and underwear. The set her shoes, pants and shirt on the sand where it was dry and dove into the water.

Kai noticed that someone was swimming in the ocean. The child was still sleeping. He finished off his sandwich and walked out of the restaurant. He saw wet glistening red hair. "_Ann."_ He smiled and ran off into the water, stripping off his shirt on the way. The dove into the water after Ann. When he was underwater he opened his eyes to see Ann in only her undergarments. "_My kind of' chick!_" He thought. He surfaced quickly after that and snuck up behind Ann.

"Hey Ann." He greeted from behind.

"What!" Ann, shocked, inhaled loads of water and started hacking. Once her cough attack was done, she resumed talking. "Kai?" She asked as she turned around.

"The one and only." Kai responded, proudly swimming abnormally close to Ann.

"Uh, hi." She said. "Can I help you?" Initially, Ann had come to talk to Kai but, now she wasn't so sure.

"Yah babe." Kai slyly said, raising an eyebrow. He was slowly inching closer to Ann. She became uneasy.

"And." She quivered. "What might that be?" Kai shrugged.

"Well, seeing as how Popuri hates me…and the rest of the girls in this dang town want me to die, you want to hook up?" Kai awaited Ann's answer. Ann was shocked. She coughed up more water.

"Uh, um." She coughed again. "I don't think so…" It was Kai's turn to be shocked.

"Why not!" He asked sternly. "You came to see me!"

"No. I didn't come to see you." Ann confirmed. "I came to swim, then talk to you." Kai seemed disappointed.

"Oh." He said, and then he dove under the water and surfaced behind Ann. He pinched her back end then swam off, away from the island. Ann was stupefied. Her eyes enlarged.

"Kai you perverted brat! GET BACK HERE!" She screamed, swimming after him. Kai laughed the whole way and soon slowed down. He kept laughing and swallowing water. He couldn't concentrate on swimming and he went under.

"Gurgle." Kai couldn't breathe (doi) and he couldn't swim back up. He was still laughing and inhaling water, even though he realized his situation. Soon enough, the chuckles became horrified; gurgling screams that Ann could only faintly hear when she had swam over to where she had last seen Kai in the water. She ducked her head under the water and saw him slowly floating to the ocean floor.

"What a freak." The muttered and dove under the water to save the brown haired pervert. Kai was freaking out under the water, struggling to keep his mouth shut. Ann grabbed his arm and pulled him upwards. At least she tried. Kai wasn't helping at all. "_Deadweight_." Ann kicked harder then accidentally kneed Kai in the skull. "_Great_." Ann swam with all her might and eventually made it to the surface. Suddenly, she got cramps. "_Oh crap. Not now Goddess. Please not now!_" Ann painfully swam to the shore, pushing Kai ahead of her.

She pulled the unconscious, brown haired, snotty boy onto the sandy shore and knelt beside him. More cramps.

"Gah." She moaned. Her eyes suddenly grew wide and she stood. She checked the sand where she had been sitting. "Great, blood." Ann kicked the bloody sand into the water. Ann was lucky, she only got her period every about two seasons. She had been late this time she guessed. Ann quickly slipped on her pants. Kai was still lying on the shore unconscious. "Stay there." She ordered. (Like he was going anywhere.)

Ann sprinted to the general store and opened the door. The bell rang, signalling a customer was ready to be served. Karen walked over to her.

"Hi, welcome to the general sto- Ann?" Karen greeted. "Where have you been?" Karen stepped closer to Ann and hugged her. Ann returned the hug then pulled away quickly.

"Please, don't ask." She blushed. Karen shrugged. "Uh." Ann's face turned a darker color than her hair. "I need…" Karen blinked.

"What?" She asked, still confused. Ann rolled her eyes.

"I've got my thing…you know." Karen was still clueless. "I need a pad!" Ann screamed out of frustration.

"Oh! Well why didn't you say so?" Karen calmly asked before turning and entering the back room. Ann was left there blushing with Jeff and Sasha staring at her. She waved lightly. They kept staring. Eventually, when Karen came out of the room she held a pink box. She showed her father, mother, and then walked back to Ann.

"Now, Ann. Do you need me to show you how these things work?" Karen giggled and dangled the soft box in front of Ann's nose.

"Dang you, Karen." Ann jumped and caught the box. "I'm 17. I think I know how to use them." Ann paid for the pads, and then asked to use the restroom. She came out refreshed, holding an opened pad box. "Thanks" She quietly mumbled as she walked out of the room. Ann walked briskly to the farm to put these under the bed while Jack wasn't looking.

Once she reached the farm, Jack immediately spotted her.

"Ann..?" He was confused. "Didn't you go to pick…grass?" Jack walked over, with a hoe in his hand. Ann blushed. "Why did you come from the north? The forest is to the south."

"Well, there **was** grass where I went." Ann mumbled, trying to hide her private item.

"So your saying, you lied to me?" Jack questioned. Ann looked at her bare feet and shuffled them. Jack looked down. "Where are your shoes?" He noticed her glistening hair. "And why are you all wet?" Then he realized that she didn't have a top on, just her bra. "Where's your shirt! You've been prancing around the town like that?" Jack grabbed Ann's arm, shoved the hoe into his backpack and dragged Ann into the house.

"Jack, it's no biggy, I just went swimming." Ann complained. Jack was digging through a drawer.

"You lied to me." He pulled out a tank top. "Crud. My sister's things got into my luggage before I left, and I didn't notice until now?" Jack shrugged and tossed Ann the top. "I do not appreciate being lied to."

"Sorry." Ann muttered while she put on the brown tank-top. "Thanks" she said, and then she remembered the unconscious Kai by the shore. "Sorry Jack, I really am sorry." Jack smiled.

"Your forgiven…I guess." He replied. Ann smiled brightly.

"Can I go to the beach?" She asked sweetly, bringing her bottom lip forward to form a perfect puppy pout. Jack gave in and nodded his head. "Thanks Jack." She hugged him then sprinted back out the door, leaving the pads on the bed instead of under it. Jack picked up the box inspecting it.

"What the heck is…EW!" He immediately dropped the box and ran out the door.

Once Ann reached the beach, she noticed that Kai was still there.

"_How to wake you…"_ Ann thought. "_I can't just leave you here…_" Ann bent down to Kai's level and put her ear up to his chest. "_Breathing…harsh…but still there._" Ann continued to listen, then satisfied that he would wake on his own, decided to splash around in the water. She dragged her feet under the shallow water and looked at the sky. She heard Kai gasp, wheeze and sputter suddenly. Ann turned and saw that Kai's chest wasn't moving. She ran back over to him and listened to his breathing. "Nothing!" She shrieked. She started panicking and in her haste got an idea. "_Cliff, Jack…forgive me._" Ann bent down and put her lips onto Kai's. She breathed air into his lungs until she saw his chest expand. She broke away then pressed on his chest five times. "I hope this is right." She whispered to herself. "I can barely remember the first-aid training in grade six." She pressed her lips against his. She pulled away after inserting more air and prayed. She closed her eyes and hoped.

Kai's chest had started to move on its own again and he had regained consciousness, not like Ann noticed. Kai silently spit out water and sat in front of Ann. She had closed her eyes and was sitting there. Kai's face leaned closer to Ann's and he kissed her lightly on the lips. Ann's eyes opened in shock. "_What did he just do?"_


	15. Apologies

I don't own the lyrics to "Promise" by simple plan or harvest moon. If I did, there would be a character named after me!

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"Kai." Ann whispered. "What are you doing?" Kai blushed.

"You saved me." He mumbled. "Thanks."

"Well" Ann shrugged. "What else was I supposed to do, just leave you there to die?" Kai shook his head slowly.

"It was more than that." Kai picked up some sand. "You cared about me after the awful things I did."

"Well…" Ann thought. "I guess so." Kai smiled and piled the sand into a small hill shape.

"Ann…will you do me a favour?" Kai asked. Ann nodded. "Will you throw my gun into the water? As far as you can, so I'll never see it again?" Ann was confused.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because… I don't want to be tempted to finish the job." Ann nodded.

"Where is it?" Kai pointed to his summer shack.

"It's in the locked cupboard behind the counter. Just kick it a bit and it should open." Ann nodded again and walked to the shack. Ann walked in through the poorly painted door, glancing once more over to Kai, who was still sitting playing with the sand.

She stepped into the cruddy shack and noticed that there was a second floor that had been added on. Ann decided to explore it so she lightly jogged over to the stairs. She looked up and saw that a light was on. Ann ran up the stairs, noticing they were a lot newer than the Inn's stairs. Once she reached the top, she noticed that the walls were all painted black and the white beds had black quilts on them. One bed had something else in it too. It was a little girl.

"Hello?" Ann whispered to the brunette that was sleeping in the bed. The girl wouldn't wake, even when Ann poked her. "Hello? Little girl?" Ann yelped. "I'll ask Kai when I…get back out there." Ann muttered, noticing the source of light was coming from a lamp next to the little girl's bed.

Ann ran back down the stairs, slipping on the last one and landing on her backend. She got up, rubbed it and then walked over to the white painted counter. She went behind it and found the "locked" cupboard. She bent down and tried to open it with her hands. No good. She sat down, locked her legs against the wall and pushed. Still no luck. She sighed and stood up. She swung her leg back behind her and kicked the cupboard's door. She used so much force that the door fell off its hinges.

"Crud!" She yelped as she bent down and tried to fit the door back in place. She remembered Kai's words. "_Just kick it A BIT_". Ann sighed and grabbed the gun, giving up on fixing the cupboard. She walked out the door, closing it behind her.

Ann silently walked to the docks. Kai hadn't noticed that she had come out yet. She heard him singing to himself.

"Take my hand, take my hand. I promise. Take my hand…." Kai sweetly sung the song to himself. Ann shook her head. "_Has he really changed?_" Ann walked along the dock, holding the gun. Once she reached the end she began to think.

"Oh my gosh." She murmured. "I'm holding the weapon that hurt Cliff!" She threw the gun as far out in the water and as far away from her and the island as she could. It landed many, many feet away. The waves carried it farther after it splashed into the water. Kai heard the splash and turned to see Ann standing at the end of the dock, her hands at her sides, her hair being blown in her face by the wind, watching the waves.

"Wow. She looks beautiful." Kai whispered to himself as he stood. In her tank-top and baggy boy's pyjama pants, not many would say that. Kai walked over to the docks. He stood on the sand, not daring to step onto the wood.

"Thanks Ann." He called. Ann turned with tear streaked eyes. Kai smiled, not noticing her sad state at first. Then his smile turned to a worried frown.

"You…you tried to kill Cliff!" Ann sobbed and pushed past Kai as she ran back to the farm. Kai frowned sadly.

"I…I'm sorry Ann." Kai was disappointed in himself. "_How would killing Cliff make Popuri love me_?" He thought. He hung his head and walked to the end of the dock. He sat down and let his legs dangle in the water. "What have I done?"

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Ann burst through the door and forgot to close it behind her. She leaped onto the bed and covered her blotched face with a pillow. Jack followed soon after, shutting the door in his haste. He sprinted over to the bed side and knelt down.

"Ann?" Jack asked. "What's wrong?" Ann looked up from her pillow, than immediately shoved her nose back to the pillow.

"Cliff! And Kai! And the town! And the gun!" She screamed through the pillow. Jack was confused. He said nothing. "Why does everything have to be horrible?" Jack gently placed his hand on Ann's shaking shoulder. Ann was still surprisingly cold.

"Oh Ann." Jack comforted. Ann lifted her head and looked into Jack's brown eyes. Her own green ones could never compare to his beautiful, brown eyes. "_What? You think his eyes are beautiful? NO. You love Cliff…even though he…broke your heart._" She thought. Ann turned away from Jack's warm gaze and set her own on the brown wall. Jack seemed hurt.

"Sorry Jack." Ann apologized sincerely.

"Yes well…okay." Jack blushed when Ann turned to look at him again. Ann giggled and lifted herself up. She knelt on the floor beside him and they hugged tightly.

"You know what?" Ann commented in amidst their embrace. "I've never hugged Cliff… That's pretty sad." Jack laughed.

"Yea…it kind of is…" Jack said between chuckles. They both smiled and stood up. "So…want to tell me what happened?" Ann's smile turned back to a frown as she told Jack what happened on the beach.

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"Where did I go wrong?" Kai asked himself. "I wanted to help mend her heart. She's so beautiful…" Kai blushed at his comment. "I mean… Popuri, Cliff, the little boy, Elli, Thomas, Harris…the whole town hates me!" Kai numbered off the people on his fingers then gave up. "Ugh." Kai buried his face into his hands. "What have I done? Why did I think this would help me?" Kai brought his head up and stared out at the water. "I'm a criminal…I tried to kill Cliff! My obsession with Popuri drove me insane…He used to be my best friend…" Kai put his hands at his sides. "I don't want to move…I want to stay her …With Ann…beautiful Ann." Kai heard footsteps behind him.

"Beautiful Ann, huh?" A voice said. Kai didn't turn; afraid of whom the voice might belong to. Kai just nodded.

"Yes. I think she's beautiful." He confirmed.

"What about me?" The voice said. "You attempted to kill someone…all because of me." Kai's eyes enlarged. He stood up from the dock and turned.

"Popuri?" Kai was startled. "What are you doing here?" Popuri shrugged.

"Well…" Popuri started. "I came to tell you a little something." She stepped forward and poked Kai aggressively on the shoulder. She poked him hard and he stumbled into the water. Once he surfaced and stopped coughing, Popuri continued. "I wanted to tell you that…" Popuri leaned over the water. "Once you're gone; Cliff and I will be getting back together." Popuri grinned.

"How do you know I'm going to leave?" Kai challenged. "How do you know Cliff is going to wake up?" Popuri was calm.

"The boy has awoken already. Why shouldn't Cliff?" Popuri ventured to sit on the edge of the dock. She kicked water at Kai's bobbing head. He spat. "The villagers will drive you out or kill you if you don't leave in three days." She grinned evilly. "So shoot that tough guy." Popuri insulted as she stood.

"It would be better than trying to shoot a fat cow. She wouldn't be able to get out of the way fast enough." Kai shot back. Popuri stopped walking. Her hands clenched into fists as she turned. Her face was as red as a rose.

"What…did…you…say?" Popuri asked angrily through clenched teeth. "Did you just call me a…A FAT COW?" Popuri leaped into the water and started to beat Kai. Kai easily fended her off and swam with her to the shore. He grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder.

"Yes I did." Kai replied as they walked to his shack. Popuri shrieked but no one was around to hear her. He walked through the door, noticing it needed to be re-painted. Once he closed the door he dropped Popuri onto a wooden chair with no cushion.

"Ouch!" She yelped. She rubbed her backside in pain as Kai got out the duct-tape. "What are you doing!" Popuri shrieked as Kai taped her legs and arms to the chair. "AGH! KAI!"

"I'm making sure you don't run away while I try to apolo-…never mind." Kai explained as he finished off taping Popuri. "Okay." He said, putting the roll of tape onto the table in front of Popuri.

"Kai…" Popuri started to cry. Not loud, complaining crying but, Popuri was actually afraid. "Are you going to kill me?" Kai was shocked at the question. He knelt down next to Popuri and looked her in the eyes.

"No." He calmly stated. Popuri didn't stop crying though. She wasn't sobbing but the tears quickly ran down her cheeks. She was soaked to the bone and her clothes were all wet. Popuri started shivering and Kai felt compassion towards her. He looked at her eyes; she still refused to return the gaze. "Popuri…" He started. Popuri looked at him. "I'm sorry." Kai's own tears were forming. "I'm sorry for leaving you…and for trying to kill Cliff. And I'm sorry for making you afraid and hurting you. I'm sorry for taping you to this chair but I didn't know how else to get you to listen." Now Kai's tears were dripping down his own cheeks. "I'm sorry for scarring your heart. I'm so sorry Popuri. All I ever did was love you…but…I've got to let you go…" Kai turned away and started to sob.

Popuri's tears were still silently tapping against the hard-wood floor of the worn-down shack. She watched Kai cry. She hadn't ever seen him cry before. Popuri turned away. She couldn't take it. Popuri shuddered again.

"Kai…. I…." Popuri struggled with her words. She started to sob uncontrollably and Kai turned. He had a pocket knife in his hands. He cut Popuri free and hugged her. Popuri fell into his arms and they cried together. "It's been so long since I've cried." Popuri sobbed. "I never thought it could feel so good." She didn't hold back and she let her body release her heart's sadness. The result; a salty, teary dress and bloodshot eyes. She didn't mind…Kai thought they both needed a good cry.


	16. SPLASH!

Popuri was at home, sleeping. Kai was in his shack, sleeping. Ann was on the couch, sleeping. Jack was on the bed, sleeping. Something wasn't right. The four suddenly woke up.

"Jack?" Ann whimpered.

"Ann?" Jack harshly whispered.

"Cliff!" Popuri yelped.

"Huh?" Kai wondered.

"Why did I wake up?" They all wondered. They stood up. Ann and Jack threw worried glances at each other and Kai and Popuri walked down their stairs. "Something is all weird." They all decided to go for a walk and ended up all seeing each other at the Goddess Pond.

"What are you guys doing here?" Kai asked as he sat on a tree trunk.

"I don't know." Ann answered.

"So, we ALL felt like going for a walk in the middle of the night?" Popuri asked the group. The rest of them nodded. They all sat on the ground or a rock or a tree trunk and talked about random things until a weird thing happened…

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"Oh Ghai…I'm so glad your okay." Elli cradled the green-haired boy. "I wish I could say the same for Cliff…" Elli glanced at Cliff's motionless body on the clinic's adult bed.

"Who's Ghai again lady?" Ghai asked. Elli's eyes were still bloodshot with tears. Ghai couldn't remember anything. Not who he was. Not even who Ciar was.

"You are, honey." Elli answered sadly. Elli still hadn't told Ghai who she was. She didn't know why yet though.

"Oh yah…" Little five-year old Ghai blinked. "Why can't I remember anything?" His glossy green eyes met up with Elli's brown ones.

"I don't know Ghai." Elli lied. She knew it was from the shock of being shot. His little brain couldn't handle the memory so it blocked it out. She didn't want to tell him because she was afraid that he might never think again! She didn't want her daughter's best friend to end up being a dead vegetable just lying on a bed for the rest of his life, waiting to die. Just then, the mayor Thomas walked through the clinic's front door.

"Hello Elli." He greeted and sat down near Elli and Ghai. They were on the sofas in the foyer.

"Hi Thomas." Elli replied. "How are you this evening?"

"Oh fine, fine." The chubby mayor responded.

"Might I ask what you are doing here at such a late hour?" Elli asked sweetly.

"Yes you might." Thomas confirmed. "I have a few questions for you." A serious look formed over his usually cheery grin. Elli nodded. "All right then, first question. Where is the doctor?" Elli hesitated. She hated telling people of her dreaded life in DustWood City.

"He's still in the city sir." Elli eventually responded, looking at the floor. "I left him sir."

"Why?"

"He beat us sir." Elli's eyes hurt from holding back tears. "His temper got hold of him and he beat us. I left him. We left together."

"I'm assuming this is your child? The one whom you left with?" The mayor motioned to the child in Elli's arms. Elli looked into Ghai's huge green eyes. They were full of cute confusion and hurt. He had no family…no mother.

"Yes." Elli sobbed, looking up at the mayor. "This is my son. Ghai." The little boy smiled.

"Mommy?" He asked, cutely tilting his head. Elli nodded.

"Yes." Tears silently streaked down her face. The mayor grunted.

"Okay. Thank you for your time." The mayor stood. "See you around sport." He ruffled the green-eyed boy's hair then left the building with one thought left in his mind. "_How did he end up with green eyes AND hair?_"

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The pond just sparked a few tiny yellow pebbles. Then once those pebbles landed on the dirt around the waters, they began to let out smoke. The smoke covered the whole area of the forest, but this wasn't ordinary smoke. It was coloured. Mostly blue but there was some yellow.

"What's happening?" Ann coughed.

"I don't…cough know!" Kai responded. The four all coughed until the smoke cleared. Something had appeared over the pond. It was a beautiful female figure dressed in blue that was floating over the waters. The smoke disappeared instantly as the woman spoke.

"Hello." She said. The other four jumped at the sound of her soft but firm voice. They all stared wide-eyed at the sight of the lady with beautiful long hair that gleamed over her shoulders. The woman levitated over to the group and stood amidst them. She looked around, stopping to stare a few seconds at each individual teen.

"Who are you?" Kai whispered. The woman looked shocked; her deep blue eyes seemed hurt.

"I…" She began as she floated up, her long dress covering her body. "Am the Harvest Goddess!" She glowed in a bright light and the four squinted. She flowed back down to the ground and her feet landed on the dirt. "You called?" She asked.

"What?" Popuri stepped forward. "We didn't call you; we didn't even know there was a…Goddess living in this run-down crap city."

"C…crap city?" The goddess stuttered. "I created this island…" The goddess twiddled her fingers.

"Crap city? Nonsense." Jack coughed. "This is a wonderful place." He blushed as the goddess smiled back at him. She nodded in approval.

"Anyway, we didn't call you." Ann interrupted the awkward silence.

"Oh? Then why am I here?" The goddess asked, looking very wise. "Someone MUST have called me. I don't come for no reason you know." The others looked around at each other.

"What reasons DO you come out for?" Kai asked suddenly.

"If someone is in grave danger or pain. Or just needs some advice." She replied. The others nodded in approval. They all were in grave danger, pain or needed advice.

"Well…yes…that's us… How would you know?" Popuri asked.

"I watch over the island." The goddess responded. "Not with my eyes, but my heart. I can sense troubled spirits." The goddess smiled. The four were still confused.

"So then, how do you help us?" Ann inquired. "How will you make things better?"

"I guess it's up to you. If you let me help or not I suppose. Oh." The goddess had an idea. "How about a vote? Whoever wants me to help uh…Raise your hand?" The four looked at each other. "All right… if you don't want me to help… Raise your hand." No one raised their hands once again. "Well, you have to vote sillies." The four sighed.

"I vote she helps." Popuri sighed and raised her hand.

"I second that." Jack squeaked.

"I think she should let us figure it out by ourselves." Kai crossed his arms and pouted. Ann was silent.

"What about you?" The Goddess motioned to Ann. "It's up to you. Should it be a tie, or will you let me help you?" Ann glared.

"I just want to die." She answered and turned away from the flowing lady.

"Then it's a tie. Only one way to solve a tie." The Goddess confirmed. "We will have two people compete. One from each side of the vote. Helping and not helping. All right? Choose your representatives."

"You should Jack." Popuri nominated. Whatever it is, I won't be good at it. I mean, you ARE the farmer." Jack blushed.

"I'm not so sure." He muttered, but Popuri didn't hear him.

"You." Ann pointed at Kai then poked him on the shoulder. "You do it."

"No, you!" Kai yelped back, giving Ann a poke on the shoulder. "I want you to do it!"

"No! YOU'RE DOING IT!" Ann shrieked and shoved Kai into the pond. He fell in with a splash and the goddess shrieked.

"NO! It's bad enough that you petty mortals fish in my pond BUT NO ONE SHOULD EVER TOUCH THE IMMORTAL WATERS!" She yelped at Kai. "I WILL NOT HELP YOU! LEAVE ME BE!"

The goddess shrank into a tiny water droplet and sank back into the pond. The four stood there, wide-eyed, mouths gaping wide.

"Uh…" Kai was still sitting in the pond. Jack ran over and pulled him out. He was soaked to the bone and started shivering. "Well, that was weird." He concluded.

"I just wish that Cliff would wake up." Popuri sighed. "Maybe the goddess could've HELPED Ann!" Popuri shot at Ann.

"What? It wasn't MY fault!" Ann yelped back.

"It wasn't? You're the one that pushed him!" Popuri accused.

"I pushed him but…" Ann looked down. "I didn't…I…" Popuri rolled her eyes and walked off, to the hospital to visit Cliff. Kai stared at Ann, then at Jack, then back to Ann.

"A…" Kai started until Ann cut him off.

"Shut up!" Ann shouted as she advanced on Kai. "This is your entire fault! Popuri wouldn't hate me if you hadn't tried to kill Cliff! She wouldn't hate me if you weren't here! SHE WOULDN'T HATE ME LIKE SHE HATES YOU!" and with that, Ann ran into the cave that was right next to the pond. Kai was hurt, his eyes showed it.

"Kai she…" Jack began.

"Forget it Jack. Thanks but, I deserve this. I've treated everyone terribly. I just wish there was someway that I could make it up to all of us." Kai sighed, stuck his hands in his pockets, and walked to Rose Square.

"I should let her have some alone time." Jack thought. "Maybe, a swim in the hot spring will calm my nerves." Jack walked to the shack near the spring and stepped inside. Once inside, he saw a nerve wracking sight.

"Oh. Heh. Hello." A black haired girl with glasses and an orange haired boy were making out in the shack. "Uh…"

"Excuse me." Jack said, stepping out and closing the door.

"No, we were just leaving." The boy responded. "Well, see you." He dragged the girl along with him out of the door and back to the town. Jack sighed and stepped back in, closing the door behind him. He locked it, which the couple had failed to do. "They couldn't have heard anything." He assured himself. He stripped down his clothes and opened the other door in the shack. He leaped into the boiling waters and landed with but a tiny splash. Then, he waited.


	17. Awaken

Ann sat on a boulder inside the cave.

"It wasn't my fault…" She sobbed into her hands. "It's not like that stupid poser could've helped us anyways." She looked up and through the cave entrance she couldn't see anything. It was dark. It was night. "I just wish I was never born, then my father wouldn't have had to take care of me…everyone would be okay." She dug her face into her arms and cried. "Mom…" She whimpered.

Back at the clinic, Cliff was waking up.

"Cliff?" Popuri whispered. She was kneeling next to the stretcher in the clinic. Cliff muttered something, and then opened his groggy eyes.

"P-p-p…Pop?" He moaned. "Ugh!" He yelped in pain.

"Cliff?" Elli asked as she set Ghai down on the desk and ran over to his bedside. "Stay still Cliff." Cliff nodded his head, and then winced again in spite of the pain.

"Cliff! Your okay." Popuri smiled and ran her fingers through his long bangs. Cliff smiled and closed his eyes.

"I'm okay… I woke up! How long has it been? Is the little boy okay? Ghai was his name… I almost saved him. Gee, I was pretty brave. I hope Ann's okay…" Cliff's mind raced.

"You'll be okay in a couple hours okay Cliff?" Elli reassured the teenage boy. "Just rest for now. You don't have to sleep, just rest."

"Ah…rest." Cliff smiled weakly once more before totally numbing out.

In the cave

"Ann?" A soft voice came from beside Ann.

"Jack? Is that you? Look, I don't want to talk right now. Okay? Just leave me here to cry. I know your trying to help but…" Ann held back the mean comments that were running through her mind.

"No, it's not Jack." The voice confirmed.

"Popuri? Kai maybe? Who are you?" Ann raised her head and looked to her right. "The Harvest Goddess?" Sure enough, the harvest Goddess was sitting next to Ann in the dank old cave.

"Yes Ann." She replied. "I'm here. And I want to help you."

"I thought you didn't want to help? How can YOU help?" Ann asked obnoxiously.

"By saying two words." The Goddess held up two elegant fingers. "Greet Cliff." And the goddess disappeared.

"Greet Cliff? Cliff's alive!" Ann sprung out of her seat and out of the cave; she sprinted out of the forest. Not noticing Jack, sitting in the hot spring, waiting for her.

Ann burst through the front door of the clinic, bare-foot and in her pyjamas.

"Ann?" Elli's voice sounded surprised. Popuri only scowled.

"Ann." She muttered, disgusted at the sound of her own voice saying Ann's dreaded name.

"Sorry." Ann apologized quickly and shut the door. "Is Cliff here?"

"Why should you care?" Popuri stuck her hands on her hips and blocked Ann's way out of the foyer.

"Popuri." Elli scolded. "Yes Ann, Cliff is here, resting. Please don't disturb him until he wakes on his own." Ann nodded, glared at Popuri, and then sat on a sofa, her eyes never leaving Popuri. Popuri smirked and turned around.

"Hello pretty lady." A green-haired boy, looking about five or six walked up to Ann and waved.

"Hi." Ann smiled sweetly and waved lightly back. "Who are you?" The boy paused, as if he had to think.

"Ghai!" He concluded, making sure that was the right word for his name. "And that's my mom." He turned and pointed to Elli, then ran into her arms.

"Hello Ghai. My name is Ann." Ann waved then saw Popuri scowl at her. Ann slowly lowered her hand to watch Popuri mouth the words;

"What a stupid name." She muttered, under her breath, not thinking that Ann could hear or see her.

"I heard that, brat." Ann stood up and glared at Popuri.

"What did you hear?" Popuri turned again and glared right back at Ann. "You must be hallucinating. I mean what, if you stay cooped up on that farm the rest of your life, your bound to start seeing things."

"I know you said something you slut." Ann shot back. "The farm is helping me, not causing problems. You'd be good to stay there a few nights alone with a really nice guy!"

"As if I need to stay in that run-down lot of shacks to become a better person." Popuri retorted then paused. "Did you just call me a slut?"

"Yah I called you a slut! Jack works hard trying to keep that farm alive!" Popuri and Ann's red faces were only feet away. Screaming words at each other was not helping Cliff's condition.

"I AM NOT A SLUT!" Popuri slapped Ann. When Ann turned her face back, there was a red hand print on her left cheek.

"Prove it whore." Ann challenged, and then ducked when Popuri threw her other hand at Ann's face.

"Girls!" Elli shrieked trying to get them to stop, but they didn't listen.

"I'm not a slut! I'm no whore! I'm a virgin." Popuri went to slap Ann again but Ann zipped beside her and quickly whispered into her ear.

"I don't believe you." Ann sped back in front of Popuri and placed her hands on her hips, mocking Popuri's usual stance.

"Stop it you goth! You're such a hermit!" Popuri screamed again. "Why don't you have any friends? Don't you ever wonder why no one loves you?" Popuri's face turned grim. "No one loves you. Not Cliff. Not your daddy and most certainly, not your mama." Popuri hit Ann on the side of the head. Ann fell onto her hands and knees with those words in her head.

"No one…not Cliff, not daddy and not mama." The words whipped through her brain, over and over again.

"No!" She shrieked. Ann stood and punched Popuri in the stomach. "No." Ann held her shoulders and fell back down to her knees as Popuri groped her stomach in pain and fell onto the floor.

"What's happening, Elli?" Cliff limped into the foyer and saw the two girls on the floor. "Elli?"

"They started fighting." Elli muttered. "Ann won but, Popuri got in a few good words."

"I see." Cliff replied, limping farther into the foyer. "Girls?"

"Cliff." Popuri groaned and scurried to Cliff legs. She clung onto him and grabbed his hand. She pointed to Ann's quivering shape. "She hurt me." Her voice wavered.

"I can see that. Looks like you hurt her more than she hurt you though." Cliff let go of Popuri's hand and pried her off of his leg. "Ann?" he knelt down next to the quivering Ann and gently lifted her chin with his soft hand. Ann's eyes were red and her cheeks were streaked with salty tears. She looked into Cliff's eyes and he did the same. "Oh Ann." Cliff pulled her into a tight hug and Ann sobbed loudly while Popuri stood and watched it all.

"No one loves me Cliff." Ann wept into Cliff's arms.

"I love you Ann." A voice came from the front of the clinic. Ann, Cliff, Popuri and Elli's faces all turned to see who it was. "But obviously, you're too busy with your own pain to care." It was Jack.

"Jack?" Ann backed away from Cliff. "You…you …l-love me?"

"Yea Ann. You heard me." Jack was yelling. "I love you! But your too wrapped up in your own pain and your own life, your too busy for others…too busy to care about who **DOES** care. I always cared Ann. Oh yah. Of course I do! Of course I care! I caught you from the window! I didn't even know you! I've adopted you as my roommate for almost a whole year! I've provided for you and what have you done? Every now and then a hug or a thank you. Never a, 'How are you Jack' or maybe an 'I appreciate it Jack'." Jack glared at Ann as she stood on shaky legs.

"J…Jack I..." Ann started.

"No Ann. You listen. I'm tired of being quiet. I'm tired of being pushed around because I'm shy. I'm tired of being ignored by the ones I love. If you took the time to think, you would've noticed that I've been waiting for you. You would've noticed that I love you… And it's not going to change anytime soon." Jack's eyes welled with tears. A few were already slipping down. He didn't care. "Why is it that you don't care about those that do?"

Jack left the clinic and the island. He didn't tell anyone where he went. Not even Ann. He left all his things at the farm.

! What do you think? Good bad? I need to hear your responses!


	18. The Screaming

What happened to all of my wonderful reviewers? Am I not reposting fast enough? Please keep reviewing:-1

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"Omigosh." Ann turned and looked at all of the other citizens that were in the clinic. "He loves me?" Ann was shocked. All that Jack had said was true. She was too busy with her own pain to care about him. "I have to find him!" Ann grabbed some Kleenex, wiped her cheeks and ran back to Cliff. "Thanks Cliff." Cliff smiled weakly then stood in shock as he saw Ann dash away from him, to look for Jack.

"Good luck hermit." Popuri muttered, just loud enough for Cliff to hear.

"Did you just call Ann a hermit?" Cliff asked, turning to face his ex. "Did you?"

"Maybe." Popuri answered.

"She's not a hermit. She's a beautiful, kind young girl. Why do you refuse to see that?" Cliff raised his voice a little higher than usual.

"Don't yell please Cliff." Popuri whispered but Cliff's voice only got louder.

"Are you jealous of her?" Cliff accused.

"Cliff, please don't yell." Popuri's eyes filled with salty water.

"You're jealous! You're jealous of Ann's beauty!" Cliff shouted.

"Cliff…please stop yelling." Popuri covered her ears and fell to her knees in a soppy teary mess.

"You make up with your jealous feelings by acting like a slut!" Cliff was yelling at the top of his lungs. "You're jealous because you know I love Ann!"

"STOP YELLING AT ME!" Popuri shrieked at the top of her shrill voice. "STOP IT NOW CLIFF!" Cliff grabbed Popuri's arm and jerked it away from her ear.

"I'll yell if I want." Cliff threatened. Popuri went limp and let Cliff throw her into the wall. "You're a terrible, selfish whore, you know that Popuri?" Cliff shot at Popuri's wilting figure. Popuri was sobbing and bleeding. Popuri was holding something. Cliff grabbed it out of Popuri's tired hands. It was the flower he had given her. He crushed it in his hands and threw the ash onto Popuri.

"I thought you loved me." Popuri sobbed quietly.

"How could anyone love you? You're a pitiful snob! I didn't say that we would get back together. Why would you tell people that? Especially people that tried to KILL ME!" Cliff ran out the door and back to the Inn.

"I thought he loved me…despite my flaws." Popuri cried into her hands. Her dress was blood stained. It was the one she had worn on the terrible night of Kai's rampage. The black and pink one. Popuri got up with trembling legs and a clenching throat. She limped out of the clinic and went home.

Elli had taken Ghai upstairs when they had started yelling. She didn't want her 'son' to be witnessing that kind of behaviour.

Once she was home, she found a note that said that her mom and brother had gone out to Dustwood City looking for her father. They would never find him. At least her mother had gotten well enough to travel again. Popuri ripped the dress off and changed into some clean jeans and an orange t-shirt. She almost looked like Ann. Popuri shrugged of the thought and ran to the beach.

"This dress, it represents the old me. The new me…will be unlocked tonight." Popuri threw the nasty dirty dress into the sea and it sunk as soon as it hit the waters. Drenched with the sea water it disappeared from Popuri's sight. Popuri then noticed that someone was standing on the edge of the docks. It was Ann. Popuri tip-toed to where she was standing. Ann hadn't noticed.

"Jack… I'm so sorry. You were so good to me…" Ann was crying softly and holding something close to her chest.

"Ann?" Popuri softly whispered.

"Popuri?" Ann didn't turn. She hid her face. "I'm sorry I punched you…what do you want?"

"To help a friend." Popuri softly turned Ann towards her and looked into her eyes.

"Friend?" Ann asked with glowing eyes. She still clutched the object in her hands. "Since when was I your friend again?"

"Since tonight." Popuri smiled warmly and for the first time in a long time, pulled Ann into a gentle hug. Ann gratefully accepted the hug and wrapped her own shaking arms around her pink-haired opposite, clutching her possession in her right hand. They cried together and told each other what happened and promised to be best friends forever, no matter what. Even if a new hot farmer came to the island.

They went to the farm and slept. Popuri on the bed and Ann on the sofa. Popuri didn't want to sleep in an empty house and neither did Ann. They didn't know what they would do the next day but, Ann was focusing on finding Jack and Popuri was focusing on avoiding Cliff!

Cliff was bashing around in his room.

"What a slut! I can't believe she did this! Poor Ann! How could I fall for Popuri's tricks? Does Ann still love me? That bastard Jack! He's going to steal away my Ann! Ann!" Cliff stormed over to the window. "I LOVE YOU ANN!" He shrieked into the open night sky.

Ann shot up from under the sheets and so did Popuri. Popuri burst out in tears once she realized what Cliff had said and Ann ran to embrace her.

"That'll teach the pink-haired snob." Cliff taunted from within the Inn's biggest room. He had moved his things into Doug's room. Doug hadn't been seen for seasons so Cliff didn't think that he'd mind. He leaped onto the bed then felt a twang of pain in his gut. "Ugh…the guilt again?" Cliff groaned. He had deep secret buried in his mind. He had never told anyone and his stomach hurt because of it. "I have to tell her sometime." He muttered and stood. He stretched and pulled all of his clothes off, except for his boxers, in which he slept in. He jumped into the bed and pulled the covers over himself. He didn't sleep well these days but, who did?

Ann and Popuri slept peacefully. Elli and Ghai slept fine. Cliff barely slept but he was sleeping at this point.

A murky fog had settled on the beach. If you were standing out there in the sand, you wouldn't be able to see your hand three inches away from your face. A boat was docking. The boat slowly made contact with the dock and a single figure jumped out. The figure waved the boat away. The figure only seemed as a shadow in the fog. Who was this? Why had they come? Everyone would soon find out…some sooner than others.

The next morning.

Popuri and Ann woke up and ate some breakfast, went shopping, got more food and loaded the refrigerator. They decided to go for a walk to Rose Square.

"Well, how are you going to take care of the farm Ann?" Popuri asked inventively as they walked.

"Since when was I going to take care of the farm?" Ann replied. "I have no intentions of taking over that farm. I'm only living in it." Popuri nodded, even though she thought that it would be wise to take over the dying farm but, it **_was_** Ann's decision after all.

The girls walked through the south entrance to Rose Square and sat on the bench closest to the east exit. They talked about girlish things, then about boyish things, and then they noticed something.

"What's this marking?" Ann wondered aloud.

"What do you mean, marking? It's a bench." Popuri rolled her eyes. "It's old and bound to have some missing paint or something."

"No no, this one was manmade." Ann confirmed. "Come here and look at it." Ann pointed to some scribble on the wood. Popuri twisted her body to look at saw two scrawled symbols.

"They're letters." Popuri commented. "J…The first letter is J." She looked up at Ann. Ann nodded.

"What's the second one? It's so hard to read." Ann muttered. "P…." She concluded.

"J P?" Popuri sounded. "That doesn't make any sense."

"JP…J.P…" Ann mumbled. "It's someone's initials…" Ann eyes grew wide. "Jack Polden! But, this looks so old. He must have been here such a long time ago."

"Oh well…he's gone now…there's nothing we can do." Popuri concluded and stood. "Shall we go to the beach? I'd like to talk with Kai."

"All right then." Ann stood also, linked arms with Popuri, and went to the beach with her.

Cliff was still sleeping. Elli was feeding Ghai.

Cliff suddenly woke up.

"Why do I feel so awful?" He asked his mirror. He stood up and put some pants on. He trudged over to his mirror and stared at his reflection. "Is this who I want to be? What have I become?" He thought to himself. His ruffled and matted hair was covering his brown eyes. His eyes, they were twisted with thoughts that shouldn't and didn't usually belong to him. "Ann doesn't love me. Popuri does I suppose. Well, maybe Ann does love me. I don't know. Maybe I should ask her. Why did I hurt Popuri? Nobody is perfect. Out of everyone that lives in this place, I should be the one getting beaten. Not two wonderful girls. But still, life isn't all about girls right?" Cliff talked to himself often these days. Everyone did, or at least he thought they did.

Cliff slipped on a light button up shirt and walked out the front door of the Inn. Time to go apologize for his terrible actions. Cliff was not good at apologies.

Popuri and Ann walked onto the sandy beach and took of their shoes. They were both wearing jeans with a coloured top. Ann's top was pink, Popuri's was orange. They padded along to the shack.

"Popuri?" Ann stopped Popuri from opening the door. "I have to tell you something."

"Shoot Ann." Popuri answered with a smile and let go of the door knob.

"Well, the last time I went in there…" Ann motioned to the shack. "There was a little girl sleeping on a bed on the second floor."

"There's a bed on the second floor?" Popuri questioned.

"Pop!" Ann was annoyed.

"Sorry Ann…let's go in and ask him about the little girl then I guess." Ann nodded and opened the creaky door that obviously, still needed a new paint job. They both entered the shack which was surprisingly brighter than they thought it would have been.

"Hi girls. Sorry about the other night, at the pond." Kai greeted from the kitchen, which was on the first floor in front of them. His back was turned towards them, he was busy with something. "Please close the door."

"Sure…Kai…" Popuri replied and closed the door. "What're you doing?" Kai turned.

"Well, I…" Kai was interrupted by a little girl stepping in front of him.

"Hi!" She waved brightly and stood on her tip-toes. "I'm Kira!" Kai blushed.

"Hi…Kira…" Ann greeted in response and raised an eyebrow. "Who is this Kai?" It was the brown haired and eyed girl that was sleeping on the bed before.

"Well, this is my daughter." Kai smiled brightly. He knew the child had no family so, he suspected that raising a child of his own would straighten out his lifestyle. He had named her Kira because he didn't know her real name.

"Cool." Popuri answered. Then there was an awkward pause. "Who's the mother?"

"Popuri!" Ann scolded.

"No, it's fine Ann. I don't ugh…Gulp…mind." Kai coughed nervously. "Well, her name is uh…Melody." Kai lied. He had no clue who the mother had been.

"Really? Where is she?" Popuri asked.

"She has passed." Kai responded quietly. Kira wiped a tear from her eye.

"Mama's died." She whined and Kai picked her up gently. He stroked her hair. Ciar didn't remember anything, too much water in her brain, Kai suspected but, he was no doctor. The funny thing was, Kira actually thought that Kai was her father.

"Oh…" Popuri suddenly looked sad and guilty for bringing up the subject. "I'm so sorry."

"No worries Pop." Kai smiled and set the child down on the counter. "So, how may I help you ladies? We really must be going soon."

"What? Going?" Ann asked. "Going where?"

"Well, leaving of course. Kira and I were just finishing up our packing. The boat is expected to be here at…" Kai checked his watch. "Well, in half an hour." Kai lugged two large black suitcases onto the counter and then bent down and set a small pink backpack onto the counter. "No one wants me here…"

"Daddy did something bad." Kira confirmed and nodded her head. She was standing on the counter, wearing a simple blue and pink dress with black buckle shoes.

"I see." Ann choked. "Well then uh, we'll see you again some time maybe…all right?" Kai nodded.

"See you around girls." Kai smiled and handed Kira her bag, grabbed his own suitcases and walked past the girls, out of the door and onto the dock. Ann and Popuri looked at each other, and then sprinted out of the tiny shack and onto the farm.

Cliff had been walking to the farm from the Inn when he had seen the two bare-foot girls run past him and onto the farmland. They were giggling in the river now, splashing each other and getting totally soaked. Cliff smiled. He loved seeing Popuri smile… or did he love seeing Ann smile? No matter, he wasn't going to choose either one of them. He walked over to the river, and immediately as Popuri noticed him, she screamed. Cliff stared wide-eyed as Popuri opened her mouth widely and let out a horrific scream. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Ann yelling at Popuri to calm down, Popuri running out of the river, gathering up her summer-dress (that she had changed into before jumping into the river) and running into the forest behind the farm land, her fierce and tangled wet, pink hair slapping in behind her. Then, things went back to normal speed.

"Popuri! Come back!" Ann cupped her hands over her mouth and hollered at her. "Pop! Ugh. Thanks Cliff, now we've got to go catch her…or maybe…you should stay." Ann got out of the river and sped after Popuri, leaving Cliff in her dust.

Kai and Kira were sitting on their bags, waiting for the boat to come and take them away from Mineral Town. Kira though, had a fear of water. A great big huge fear of water. Kai knew why but for Kira, it was just a natural fear. Apparently, the boat was very busy today. Almost everyone from the town was in Dustwood City looking for Popuri's father. The mayor had gone, Harris had gone, Grey and his grandpa had gone, Mary's parents had gone, and Ellen had gone, Gotz had gone, Barley and May had gone, Carter had gone. Everyone had gone except Mary, Karen and her parents, Stu, Elli, Ghai, Ann, Popuri, Kai, Kira and Cliff.

"What was that noise daddy?" Kira asked suddenly.

"What noise hun? I didn't hear anything." Kai answered. He honestly hadn't heard anything.

"Okay then." Kira replied happily. She was young and care-free, it didn't matter.

Popuri had run deep into the forest, and Ann was trying to find her.

"Ann!" Popuri cried out. Ann could tell she was near. Ann ran around, looking for her friend. "Ann! Up here!" Popuri shrieked. Ann hesitated, afraid of what she might see, and then looked up. Popuri was hanging with her chest toward the dirt and rocks holding on for her dear life with two hands over the edge of Mother's Hill's cliff!

"Gah! Popuri!" Ann shrieked. "Hold on! I…I'm coming!" Ann took off to the other side of the mountain where there was a path that she could easily climb to reach the top of the mountain.

"Hurry." Popuri whispered to herself and clung closer to the cliff side. Ann sped as fast as she could through the forest, running into a few bushes, tripping, then jumping back up and continuing to sprint. She had to save Popuri! Once Ann reached the other side there was a poorly hidden brown dirt path that went up the mountain. Ann quickly scaled the smooth and slightly slanted part of the path, but then the path got jagged and scaly. Ann cut herself climbing with her bare feet on many sharp rocks but Ann made it to the top.

"Ann? Is that you?" Popuri yelped from the mountain side.

"Popuri! Be careful!" Ann scolded as she briskly jogged to where Popuri's fingers were visible on the edge. Ann grabbed one of Popuri's hands just before her other manicured fingers lost their grip. "Hold on Pop." Ann grunted as she tried to pull Popuri up. She wasn't strong enough. "I can't pull you up! We need help." Ann thought about who was close enough to hear her if she screamed for help. "What about Cliff! He could help!" Tears suddenly fled to Popuri's eyes.

"Please." Popuri sobbed. "Not Cliff…he'd drop me." Popuri was afraid of her ex-boyfriend after what had happened at the clinic.

"Okay…" Ann sighed and pulled on Popuri's arms again. Still no luck. "Hold on…I've got an idea." Popuri returned her hands to the cliff side and Ann made sure she wouldn't lose her grip. Luckily, there was a thin tree nearby, and Ann was wearing a scarf like belt with a very strong buckle. The belt usually hung down to Ann's knees when she wore it, so she suspected it would be long enough. Ann strung the scarf around the tree, took the end and buckled it in the first hole on the material. She then grabbed the other end and tied it to her back belt loop. Then she lay down and crawled over the edge. Like I said, long, strong belt.

"What are you doing you crazy chick! You're going to get hurt!" Popuri scolded as she hung from her fingers. Ann grunted and let the scarf hold her as she faced the same way that Popuri was facing. She held onto the rock's jagged edges and cut herself by accident.

"Would you rather I call Cliff?" Ann threatened and winced at the same time. Popuri's eyes widened and she briskly shook her head. "Then this is the only way." Ann grunted and hopped to the other side of Popuri, letting the belt swing her over. She landed on a small ledge on the mountain side, just barely wide enough to put her toes on. She was afraid to put any weight on it, so she used it for balance purposes only. The belt had looped under Popuri's rear so she could sit on it. "Turn around but don't fall. Can you do that?" Ann ordered. Popuri nodded, lifted one hand, pushed against the rocks and dirt, then swung so that her chest was facing the sky and then replaced her other hand for more support. "Step onto the belt and lift yourself up. I can hold it." Ann instructed, still maintaining her balance.

"What?" Popuri asked in a surprised and shocked tone.

"Step on the rope and climb up! You can do it Pop." Ann looked Popuri in the eyes and nodded. Popuri put her hands on the rock behind her for support, and put one foot on the belt in front of her so that her weight was balanced on the belt fully. It swung a bit but Popuri didn't notice.

"Are you okay? Are you sure about this Ann?" Popuri asked, glancing at Ann.

"Just get up there!" Ann was straining under Popuri's weight so Popuri lifted her other foot onto the belt, turned once more, placed her hands on the grassy top of the hill, stood and pulled herself onto the top of the mountain. Just as Popuri was lifting her right foot off of the belt though, her foot got caught on the scarf and pulled Ann off of the ledge! Ann's body was dragged by the belt and she was slammed into the mountain side.

"Aaaaaahhheeeiiiiii!" Ann screamed louder than she had ever heard herself or anyone else ever scream before. Cliff heard the scream, Mary heard the scream, Karen and her parents heard the scream, Elli and Ghai heard it. Even Kai and Kira had heard the scream. They all came rushing toward the forest as soon as they heard Ann's horrific shriek.

"Ann!" Popuri yelped as she leaned over the cliff and watched her best friend dangle from a belt. The scarf was still holding…for now. '

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So? What did you think! I need to know! Questions? Comments? Ideas? I need to hear them all!


	19. Heros

For you smart people that noticed that I had previously said that Barley had died in my story, and also noticed that I included him in a chapter later, I congratulate you! Haha! Lol.

"DO SOMETHING POP!" Ann screamed at the top of her lungs and looked up at her best friend that was freaking out at the summit of the mountain. Ann actually, looked particularly funny, hanging from her back belt loop with her arms and legs dangling in front and behind her.

"I AM!" Popuri screamed and ran around in another circle. Ann wondered when she would start wearing a sphere into the ground.

"Oh my gosh!" A voice was heard from the summit.

"Help! I fell over running away from Cliff and then Ann helped me get back up but now she' s hanging from the cliff on her belt scarf thing and I don't know what to do!" Popuri quickly explained and ran to the edge. Footsteps followed her. "And it could snap at any moment and ...yeah!"

"Wow." The voice replied and leaned over so Ann could discover who it was.

"Did you hear that one Daddy?" Kira asked and twiddled her fingers.

"Yea…" Kai's voice trailed off and he stood up slowly. "Come on." Kai quickly slung Kira onto his shoulder and she hung on well. Kai sped up onto the mountain to see Sasha and Popuri leaning over the edge of the cliff.

"What happened daddy?" Kira asked innocently. Kai shook his head letting Kira know that he didn't know. Kai stopped and dropped Kira silently onto the ground and watched.

"Well, how do we bring her up? Obviously, neither one of us is strong enough, even if we tried together." Sasha inquired.

"I know! That's why I was freaking out." Popuri flung her hands into the air, lowered them into her hair and ran t hem through in frustration. "Gah." Kai heard someone coming up to the summit so he knelt to his daughter's ear.

"Hide behind a tree; I don't want you to get hurt okay honey?" Kai whispered and pointed to a big tree down the path. Kira nodded and stumbled off to stand behind the big brown tree that was 100 times larger than her brown haired self. Just as she had settled into a comfortable position, Ghai, Elli and Karen walked up the hill. They didn't notice Kai standing on the edge of the path.

"Oh my gosh Mum. Why are you all the way up here, and what was that noise?" Karen asked impatiently. "I mean seriously. That climb was torture on my nails."

"Karen! Poor Ann is hanging by a thread down there, and we don't know what to do!" Sasha replied gently. But Popuri and Sasha turned away from Ann, and explained the situation. Kai kept his eyes on the belt, which was slowly getting strained more and more. –Twang- No one else heard a thread of the belt give way. Kai did. –Twang- There went another one.

"This is stupid!" Ann pounded the side of the cliff and many pebbles fell onto the grassy surface many, many feet below her hanging body. Ann didn't know that her life was hanging by a couple tiny giving threads either. Kai's eyes enlarged as another thread twang away. He instinctively ran towards the cliff's edge, pushing the others out of the way.

"GET AWAY! IT'S GIVING OUT!" Kai yelled and watched the last thread break and heard Ann scream. "ANN!" He yelled after her and dove over the side.

"Gaaaaahh!" Ann yelped and saw Kai dive over the cliff. It happened in slow motion (that seems to happen quite often these days). Kai dove head first almost into Ann, grabbed her hand, looked up and clung onto a small almost invisible hidden ledge just inches from where she was hanging just seconds ago. "Kai!" Ann's eyes enlarged this time, admiring Kai's bravery.

"Hold on Ann" Kai grunted and everyone rushed to the edge to watch. Kai swung Ann onto the small ledge then used his other hand to grab hold of the ledge. There was only room for barely one person to kneel on it. "Are you okay Ann?" Ann only stared at Kai and nodded. "Good." He grunted and fixed his grip on the ledge. "Well, now what?" Ann shook her head and continued staring. "Could you please say something?" Kai asked sweetly.

"Uh…" Ann mumbled a few words of gibberish. "Hi?" She swallowed then blinked several times. "You saved me…"

"That I did." Kai said.

"How're we going to get back up?" Ann asked, looking at their audience.

"That's my question exactly." Kai replied, grunting and fixing his grip again. Then his body got shot with pain. "GAH!" He yelped.

"Kai!" Ann stood carefully and scooted the scorpion that had just bit Kai off the edge of the ledge. "Where'd it come from?" She asked herself and turned around, seeing a hole in the cliff where the ledge was. "Ugh…What if more come…?" Ann then knelt back down and turned her attention back to Kai.

"It's red!" Kai whimpered as he looked at his bitten hand while still holding on with the other. "And it's." Kai was breathing deeply and seemed to be in great pain. "It's spreading up my arm." He closed his eyes.

"Kai!" Ann yelled and Kai's eyes fluttered back open. They were full of pain and weakness.

"Ann… It's time." Kai said softly. Ann's eyes enlarged.

"What?" She asked, not understanding.

"My time to leave." Kai answered calmly. He looked longingly at the ground beneath them. Ann suddenly became full of determination and she grabbed Kai's other hand.

"Don't you dare. The bite is going to your head." She threatened. Kai sighed and looked back up at her. His eyes still full of pain.

"I'm tired." Kai replied. Ann shook her head. "Let me go."

"No!" Ann yelled and pulled with all her might. She pulled with all her strength, all her hope and faith. She pulled with all her heart and head. She pulled until she was standing with Kai right next to her. She opened her eyes and saw Kai staring into them.

"Ann…" Kai muttered. "You're standing so close."

"There isn't anywhere else for me to stand you see." Ann explained, giggling softly. Then they heard heavy footsteps. Like those from huge boots, climbing a hill. Soon enough, they looked up and saw Cliff's face.

"Cliff!" Popuri yelped and ran over to the edge. "Can you help?" She whimpered slightly and Cliff hung his head.

"I'll try." Cliff decided finally. He brought his head up and stood at the top of the mountain. "Hold onto this." He pulled out a rope and tied it around his waist. "Trust me, it's quite strong." He handed the rope to Popuri and Karen, Sasha, Ghai and Elli also grabbed hold of the rope. They all nodded back at Cliff and he slowly climbed over the edge.

"Cliff?" Kai asked solemnly.

"Yup." Cliff grunted and climbed farther down towards the two.

"But why? I almost killed you." Kai mentioned.

"I remember what you almost did Kai." Cliff answered. "Who says I'm rescuing you?" Cliff was down to their level now, just off to the left of the ledge. He nodded at Ann.

"Oh, I see." Kai looked down in shame.

"Seriously Kai, I don't hold grudges. Come on, grab some rope." Cliff smiled smartly and tossed the other end to Ann and Kai. They both caught it so Kai tied himself to the end and Ann was tied between Kai and Cliff.

"Ready?" Ann gulped.

"You kidding?" Cliff answered and they all started climbing to the top. They were almost at the top, and the others there were pulling with all their might. "So, what happened?"

"Well" Ann began. "Popuri fell down here, running from you Cliff. Then I got her back up, but got myself stuck down here hanging by a belt in the process. Then, the belt broke and Kai dove down here. He grabbed onto the ledge down there, and pulled me up. Once I realized what had happened, we thought about how we'd get back up right? Then a scorpion stung his hand, so he wanted to let go with the other hand too so that he could fall and die and I'm like, uh, no. So I pulled him back up and then you showed up." Ann explained.

"Uh…yea." Kai confirmed.

"I see." Cliff said and rolled onto the grassy hilltop, followed by Ann who was followed by Kai. They untied themselves and received hugs from numerous helpers and rope pullers.

"Thanks guys." Ann gratefully nodded at Cliff and Kai.

"Well, it's pretty much my fault anyways." Cliff muttered. "If Popuri wouldn't have run from me, she wouldn't have fallen to Ann wouldn't have had to save her and, you get the rest." He hung his head.

"You can't blame yourself Cliff. We all make mistakes. Besides, we're all fine now." Kai assured Cliff.

"Hah! You should talk Kai!" Ann playfully punched Kai's shoulder.

"Wait a second!" Popuri screeched and sprinted over to where the three were standing. "You said that your daughter…" Popuri began, but since no one else could hear, the rest of the villagers other than those four left. "You said that your daughter… the mother… was dead."

"Correct." Kai mumbled, he knew where this was going.

"Then the mother… You had a child with someone while we were still dating?" Popuri yelled. Kai sighed.

"Well…" Kai started to begin telling the truth, but he got cut off.

"How could you? Blaming Popuri for cheating on you when you're doing it yourself!" Ann defended Popuri while she nodded. Kai only coughed.

"Um… Yes well…" Cliff said breaking the silence. He got down on one knee and took Popuri's hand in his own. "Popuri, I apologize. For everything." Popuri blushed and knelt down to hug her ex.

"I forgive you Cliff. I just don't want to have to be afraid anymore." Popuri sniffled into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry too guys. This drama's getting to my head. I really do have to go though. I'm late for my boat." Kai smiled sheepishly and gave each of his friends a warm hug. He then ran over to his daughter, Kira, scooped her up onto his shoulder, then turned and waved as he started down the mountain.

"Well… I don't think I have anything to apologize for." Ann said confidently, and then Cliff playfully punched her shoulder this time. Ann smiled brightly, linked Popuri's arm in her own, also Cliff's, then turned to look at the sun that was setting. They all sat down and watched the day's end painting together.

"Come on Daddy!" Kira squealed from the boat. She had hopped on fully, while her father only had one foot on, and was turned, looking at his shack.

"Bye summer shack." Kai smiled, turned and got on the boat that had all their belongings on it. He had bought Kira many pretty little six year old-ish things. She knew they were all hers. The boat left the docks and set out for Kai's hometown, Moonlit County.

A shadowy figure sighed in relief stood up from the bench was hiding behind. He sprinted to the back of Kai's shack and slid through a secret entrance. He ended up in the basement that Kai never knew about. The figure walked to a candlelit desk with papers and pictures laying all about it. He slammed a photo album onto the floor and it fell open to a page of Popuri and Kai putting their arms around each other and smiling, giving each other bunny ears. The person kicked the book closed and sat in a creaky arm chair, regretting ever meeting her.

Well? What did you think? Sorry it took so long! Writer's block and, I just didn't have time to get a round to it! Sorry. Please, I need suggestions for what should happen next. Thanks and please review! –Dancin'


	20. Friendships restored

Yes. I own nothing... 'cept Kalem, Ciar and Ghai. Yay. :)

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After that night, they all agreed on something. Silently but sure enough it was promised and agreed upon. None of them would date unless all were okay with it. They would find Jack, convince the rest of the town that Kai had changed and should be allowed to stay, and help Ann find something to live for. The great friendship they had had before was salvaged and Cliff, Ann and Popuri were reunited and close once more.

They walked Cliff to the Inn then stood staring at it. No one wanted to go in… so they didn't. Popuri turned and stared at her empty house then, walked up to the fence in front and read the note on the door again. She could barely remember her father… It had been so long since he had left. She hated him for leaving… but loved him at the same time. Something had to be going on in Dustwood City… That's the only reason almost everyone would leave and go there. She'd have to figure it out.

They slept in the farmhouse, Ann on the sofa, Cliff on the bed and Popuri on the table. They each had a sweater for a pillow and a few sheets or blankets. They were all content though, and slept peacefully.

Cliff woke first the next morning, got up, changed his clothes and stepped outside. Jack hadn't been gone that long and already the farm was wilting without his care. Cliff looked to his right and saw his tools and rucksack leaning up against the house. Cliff grabbed the sickle and the watering can. He walked over to the field and the first patch of plants. He cut away the weeds after setting down the watering can. Then he watered the plants and tended to the harvesting. After finished, he looked up and counted the other patches of field that needed tending to. There were eleven. Ten more to get at. Cliff got up and started working on the other patches.

Ann and Popuri woke up around the same time and got dressed. They prepared their breakfast and set the table after removing Popuri's sleep wear. Ann offered to go fetch Cliff as Popuri finished tidying the place. Ann stepped outside and breathed in the cool morning air. Things could only go uphill from here, right? She spotted Cliff in among some tomatoes. She sprinted over.

"Breakfast Cliff. What're you doing?" She asked. She offered her hand and Cliff took it and stood up.

"Looking after the farm of course. What did it look like?" Cliff replied as he walked in front of Ann, back toward the house. Ann shook her head.

"If we look after it now, who will care for it when we're away?" She asked and caught up with Cliff.

"We'll find someone." Cliff turned his head and winked at Ann, then stepped into the house. Ann blushed.

"No." She harshly whispered to herself. "No dating for now. Your all confused." Ann shook her head straight then closed the door behind her after walking in.

All seated at the table they ate breakfast and chatted about where Jack might've gone.

"Where's his hometown again?" Popuri asked after swallowing some toast. "I don't even remember what it's called."

"I don't even think he ever said." Ann replied. She stood up and cleared away all the dirty dishes. She put them in the sink on the counter.

"I guess we could always ask around." Cliff leaned back in his chair.

"But everyone's gone." Ann commented and walked to the door.

"Not everyone." Popuri corrected. "Let's go ask Karen." Popuri stood up and opened the door. She stood in the doorway.

"Coming Cliff?" Ann asked and stepped out the door behind Popuri. Cliff slowly stood. He set something under his pillow on the bed quickly, then ran up to the girls, closing the door on his way.

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Kelam sat in Kai's basement on a chair in front of the desk. That's all that was in the room. The desk, chair, some papers and the photo album.

FLASHBACK

"-But Daddy!" young Cliff begged his father.

"Go and do what I've told you." Kelam replied with a stern face. Cliff whimpered and stepped out of the Inn's room. Young Cliff was only one and a half. A very clever boy because he could already speak and walk. He walked along the hallway until the stairs and the wall met. There was a corner on the other side. It was dark, and the poor boy could barely see. He huddled on his hands and knees by the corner, right by the stairs.

Another door in the hallway was opened and out stepped a very pregnant black haired woman. She walked over to the stairs and tripped over Cliff's tiny body. Cliff clenched his eyes shut and listened to the lady scream as she fell down the stairs.

Kelam was watching through the door. Cliff scampered back into his father's arms, but Kelam pushed him away. Cliff landed with a thud on the floor. He whimpered and stood up again. He stared into his father's eyes, and Kalem looked away quickly. Cliff ran out of the room and left his father forever…

END OF FLASHBACK

"_What've I done…" _Kelam buried his face in his hands.

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I'm sorry for the horribly long wait.. those of you that're still with me. I doubt any of you are.. ah well. I really got frustrated with this story because I had no clue where it was headed. I sorta' gave up but I'm going to keep trying okay? Yay. Please review. :)


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